Genesis of a Dragon
by L1701E
Summary: Chapter 19 up! Complete at last! Pre-DoR. The big battle ends! Suggestions welcome! RR Please!
1. Chapter 1

X-Men: Evolution - The Genesis of a Dragon pt.1  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution. That's owned by Marvel and whoever. Vince McMahon and Titan Sports own the WWF/WWE. Shame though. I do own the Jake Wildfire character.  
  
On Friday night, Bayville High's wrestling team had a match against a rival school. The rival school had tied up Bayville 3-3. This final match was a tiebreaker. In Bayville's locker room, the wrestling coach was pacing.  
  
"Ok, we need our best here on this one. Wildfire, wake up! You're next!"  
  
A red-haired teen was what appeared to be meditating out in a corner. He was clad in the wrestling uniform in Bayville's colors with a black T-shirt underneath. Upon the coach's order, he opened his bright blue eyes and put on his headgear. One of the other wrestlers started to speak.  
  
"Hey Jake, break a leg! Preferably one of theirs!" Jake let out a small smile, trying to conquer his shyness.  
  
"Thanks, Tommy! I'll need some luck", Jake said. He gave one final adjustment to his elbow and knee pads, and walked out. Upon arriving on the mat, the Bayville supporters gave a huge cheer and started chanting Jake's name. The coach smiled.  
  
"Win one for us, Jake Wildfire."  
  
Jake and the opposing blue-clad wrestler started grappling and reversing pins. Suddenly, a lightheaded feeling came over the teen wrestler.  
  
Oh man, I feel so weird. Jake thought. It's almost like my body weight is decreasing. Out of the corner of his eye, Jake saw his legs hover involuntarily a few millimeters over the purple mat. Oh God, oh God, oh God! Jake yelled mentally. His legs then returned to the ground and the light feeling faded in time for Jake to score a pin, giving Bayville the winning point. He walked back to the locker room, slightly dazed.  
  
"Good job, Jake!" The coach said, patting Jake's back. "Keep it up, and Bayville will be state champs yet again." The other wrestlers whooped it up, yelling in joy.  
  
"Thanks, coach. Is there anything to drink? My throat is hot." Jake said. For the past three weeks, Jake had been getting brief sensations of intense heat forming deep within his throat. Those flashes have been mild, but this one was slightly worse. Jake swigged some water, and the heat in his throat appeared quenched.  
  
On Monday, Jake walked down a hall, basically minding his own business. He always kept to himself, not because he didn't want friends, but because he was very shy. When he got to his locker, two girls passed him by. One of them had brown hair with white bangs. She saw the wrestler and turned around.  
  
"Hey Wildfire!" The teen girl yelled. Her voice had a southern accent. Jake turned his head slowly, blushing.  
  
"Oh, uh....Uh....heh...Hi, M-M-Marie." Jake said, his voice slightly tinged with a Boston accent, making him sound a little bit like JFK. He looked extremely nervous around the Goth. "H-H-How ya doing?" She walked closer to him. Jake's blush intensified and he started to shake. "Oh, man." Jake said very quietly. Jake was always shy, but Marie always made him downright scared. He looked at the other girl, whose hair was dyed dark purple, and was also dressed in black, to help. She merely smiled, as if she was enjoying this.  
  
"Ah heard you excel in Chem. Ah was wondering if you could help me with mah Chemistry homework."  
  
Oh man, those butterflies in my stomach have butterflies in their stomachs. Jake thought as he shook worse than ever. "Uh, uh, uh......ummmm....well...I....uh....uh...well...." Jake blurted, too nervous to actually form a decent response.  
  
"Thanks, sugah. See you at your place after school." The Southern goth turned and walked away. The other girl followed.  
  
"Man, Marie! He was this close to sweating bullets! If you came any closer, he'd go into cardiac!" The purple-haired girl laughed. Her voice sounded rather British.  
  
"Ah thought it was nice of him, Risty." Marie responded, a rare smile on her face. For some reason, Jake made her smile, although she'd never admit it. Jake stared in their direction, then fainted while letting out a huge sigh. About one minute later, a voice echoed in Jake's head.  
  
"Hey Jake! Wake up, dude!" Jake opened his eyes to see a friend. He had long orange hair in a ponytail. The end of the ponytail looked as if it was dipped in white paint, almost like a fox's tail. He wore a black T-shirt with and blue jeans with red tennis shoes. On his face, he had a pair of red shades.  
  
"Hey, Fox." Jake said with a small smile. The red-shaded kid helped Jake up. Jason Fox was one of Jake's best friends.  
  
"I saw ya with that Goth babe. I think she likes ya. Looks like Jake is becoming a real ladies' man, just like yours truly." Jake blushed.  
  
"Jason, please. You will never quit. Why is it that you think that you are the big man on campus?" Jake said.  
  
"Because he ain't." The two turned around to meet Duncan Matthews, star football player. Jason noticed he was carrying a Biology book. He also noticed a red haired gal with him.  
  
"Hey, Matthews." Jason said. "I see you are going to Bio. What a joke. You can't tell the difference between a hand and a foot."  
  
"Why you......" Duncan said, getting ready to charge him. The redhead held him back. "Jean, let me kill him, pleeeeeeease?"  
  
"Whoa!" Jason said. "Man, Duncan, Jean's as hot as ever! Say baby, why don't ya dump the stupid jock and join up with a real man?" Jason mocked, removing his shades, revealing brown eyes.  
  
"Excuse me?" Jean wondered. Jason cracked a coy smile.  
  
"He means he wants you in his bedroom." Jake snickered.  
  
"Hey! I don't go there on a first date!" Jason yelled.  
  
"I'll make sure of that, Foxy!" Duncan yelled out as he charged Jason. Jason smiled slightly then his face displayed intense anger. Before Duncan knew it, Jason Fox had knocked him on his back and trapped him in a Figure Four leglock. Duncan was screaming in pain while Jean and Jake were trying to free him.  
  
"DON'T EVER CALL ME FOXY!!!!!!!!!" Jason yelled with pure hatred. Jason had always found Duncan to be a real pain.  
  
"UNCLE!!! LET ME GO!!!!! MY LEGS!!!!" Duncan screamed, tapping his hand on the ground real fast. Jean was calling for help.  
  
"Jason! Let go! You'll break his legs!! He's had enough!! He's tapping!!" Jake pleaded. Jason then let go of Duncan, leaving Bayville's biggest jock whimpering and nursing his pain-stricken legs.  
  
"Jason! Have you gone nuts?!?!" Jean yelled in anger. She didn't like Duncan, but then she never thought Jason was much either.  
  
"Sorry, babe. I guess I went a little too far. I only wanted to puncture his big ego." Jason was given a slap to the face for that remark. He watched Jean help Duncan up. Just then, they heard a scream.  
  
"AAAHHHH!!!!! My throat!!!"  
  
Jason and Jean turned around to see Jake, clutching his throat in pain. He had his mouth wide open, gasping for cool air. Jean got a peek inside Jake's mouth. It was starting to glow. He also appeared to be hovering about three centimeters off the ground.  
  
"He can't be!" Jean thought. "Jake Wildfire, a mutant?"  
  
After school, A bald man in a wheelchair had a weird apparatus on his head. Jean walked into the room he was in. He appeared to be concentrating. Jean walked in, wanting to talk to him.  
  
"Professor?" The bald man turned around.  
  
"Yes, Jean?"  
  
"Professor, I think there is another mutant out there." Jean said in a shocked manner.  
  
"I know. Cerebro has picked him up." The professor said. He turned again to a computer screen, and typed in some commands. A picture of a redheaded teen appeared.  
  
"Professor, I know him!" Jean said in shock. "That's Jake Wildfire!"  
  
"What do you know about him?" The professor asked.  
  
"Well....he's a very nice guy. Keeps to himself. Very shy. He wants to be a pro wrestler. He is on the wrestling team, and......" Jean started.  
  
"Yes?" the professor quizzed, a small smile forming on his face.  
  
"Well...." Jean continued, "He has a very interesting reaction around Rogue. He blushes like crazy and he gets very scared. Poor old Jake." Jean then started laughing.  
  
"Mr. Wildfire's X-Gene is starting to activate. I sense that he possesses great power. His abilities are going to be unlike anything we've ever seen." The professor stated. His voice had a combination of great joy and concern.  
  
"Foxfire is Jake's best friend. Maybe Jason can help....if he can keep his mind off girls for one minute." Jean replied with some disgust.  
  
Meanwhile, at Jake Wildfire's house, Rogue was staring at a picture of a man who appeared to be an older version of Jake. In the picture, the man wore a black T-shirt, red tights with yellow flames on them, yellow boots and knee pads, and red elbowpads. There was tape on his wrists, and what appeared to be a championship belt around his waist.  
  
"That's my dad." Rogue turned around in fright. Her fears were alleviated when she saw Jake.  
  
"Jake, ya scared me. Why is your dad dressed like that?"  
  
"Well, my dad was a pro wrestler." Jake responded, pointing to the picture. "Eric 'Blazer' Wildfire. He was one of the wrestling greats. Read the caption on the frame."  
  
Rogue looked at the caption, and he was shocked. "Eric 'Blazer' Wildfire. This photo taken upon....winning....first....N..W..A...Championship..in..1979?!?!?!" Rogue looked up at Jake with shock. Jake had a big smile on his face.  
  
"You thought that was wild? Check this!" Jake said, handing another, more recent picture to Rogue. It showed the same man holding up a different belt. The Southern Belle's shock only grew.  
  
"Ah can't believe this....." thought Rogue. She then read the caption. "Eric 'Blazer' Wildfire. Former...2-time.....W-W- World......Wrestling.....Federation Champion?!?!?!? OH MAH GOD!!!!"  
  
Jake smiled. "Cool, huh?" Jake always felt more confident when he was around the old NWA and WWF wrestling memorabilia. "Someday.......that will be me, Marie. Someday......"  
  
Rogue couldn't believe it. A former WWF Champion living in Bayville and his son attending her high school! Jake then started to tell her stories about his dad's exploits......winning the WWF title......wrestling with the likes of Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat......even the ring Jake's father had erected in the basement. Her amazement arose, and she became more interested in Jake. "Hey Jake....."  
  
"Yeah, Marie?"  
  
"If you make it in the pro wrestling thing........could Ah be your valet?" Rogue asked sweetly. Jake blushed and he started to ramble.  
  
"You're admiring Jake's father in his glory days, huh kids?"  
  
The teens turned around to see a brown-haired woman who appeared to be in her late thirties. She was thin and very tall.  
  
"Hi, mom." Jake said. "This is a friend of mine, Marie."  
  
"You mean girrrrrlfriend." A brown-haired boy, around ten, appeared behind Jake's mother.  
  
"Kyle, don't start." Kyle was Jake's little brother.  
  
"But Mom, Jake just showed you his girrrrrrrlfriend."  
  
"Now Kyle, that girl is just a friend of Jake's. Right?" Mrs. Wildfire said, smiling.  
  
"Oh man...." Jake said, blushing. "Marie is only a friend."  
  
"Besides, Ah only came over because Jake said he would help me with mah Chemistry homework." Rogue interjected. Jake's eyes bulged out at that statement.  
  
"Yeah right." Jake thought. "The only reason she is here is because she invited herself here." Unbeknownst to Jake, Kyle, or Mrs. Wildfire, Rogue was getting a psychic transmission from Jean Grey.  
  
Rogue, I have something to tell you about Jake.... Jean started.  
  
You won't believe this Jean, but Jake's dad was a pro wrestler. He even won the WWF title.........  
  
Terrific, Marie. But Jake could be a mutant.....  
  
WHAT?!?!? Rogue screamed mentally.  
  
No joke. The professor sensed his X-Gene flashing on and off. His powers are getting ready to emerge. Marie, you've got to help him. The professor also said that Jake's powers are going to be unlike anything we've ever seen so far.  
  
Well, the X-Pervert Foxfire noticed that Jake had started hovering over the ground for brief times and flashes of heat formed in his throat. Rogue remembered.  
  
Marie, that's Jake's powers preparing to appear.  
  
Rogue then left after she heard more stories, and she got that help she wanted. Jake then offered to walk her home, but she refused. The wrestler insisted, and she gave in. For some reason, Rogue couldn't refuse after she looked into Jake's blue eyes. As they were walking, four large thugs had jumped them out of the bushes. They appeared to be wearing gang clothes. One had purple braided hair and held a long chain, another had long blue hair and held a iron pipe, a third had a green Mohawk and had a switchblade knife, and the fourth was bald.  
  
"Well, boys. Looks like we have a couple intruders on our turf." The bald thug said.  
  
"S-S-Stay behind me, Marie." Jake pulled Rogue behind him. "What do you want?"  
  
"We want a tribute, boy!" The bald man grabbed the front of Jake's Y2J jersey.  
  
"Yeah. You wanna walk through our park, you gotta pay a toll." The purple-haired thug agreed, clutching his chain.  
  
"Leave him alone!" Rogue warned.  
  
"Why?" The bald thug laughed. "You his girlfriend or something?" Marie blushed.  
  
"Leave her alone." Jake tried to warn. The bald man snickered.  
  
"Heh." He snorted. The huge man then grabbed Jake and threw him hard into the pavement.  
  
"Jake!" Rogue cried. The blue and purple-haired thugs pounced on the fallen wrestler. They kicked him while whipping him with the chain and iron rod. "No!" Rogue tried to help, but the bald man caught her and twisted her arm. He then caught her other arm and trapped the power- absorbing teen. The switchblade-carrying thug placed the tip of his knife under her chin.  
  
"Now, honey." He cackled. "We cannot allow you to get away with not paying now, can we?" Rogue shivered.  
  
"But we don't have any money." Rogue tried to explain.  
  
"No excuses!" The bald man exclaimed. "Finish the job!" The green Mohawk-wearing thug ran his knife along Marie's neck. Jake tried to fight off the thugs, but they kept beating him. His eyes started to glow blue.  
  
"No." Jake started to feel helpless and angry. "Stop." Heat started to build up in his throat as his rage grew. He grew more concerned with Rogue's safety than his own. He had to fight them off. He had to save Marie at all costs. "Leave." His head started to feel light. "Leave.her.ALOOOONE!!!!" Jake roared, blasting a stream of flames from his mouth, and flying back up to his feet.  
  
"Hey!" The chain and rod-wielding thugs recoiled. "What the." Jake grabbed the thug with the chain, picked him up, and threw him into the other one.  
  
"How?" The bald man let Marie go and charged the wrestler. A snarling Jake jumped into the air and remained there out of his reach. Jake landed behind him and let him have it.  
  
He's too big to suplex.Jake thought. I'll have to get him off his feet. Jake dropkicked the man's legs, causing him to fall to the ground. The red-haired wrestler kicked him, turning him over. Jake then slammed his elbow into the thug's gut. The last thug grabbed Marie and put the knife to her neck.  
  
"Back off, whatever you are!" The thug cried desperately. "Or I'll slice the girl's neck wide open!" Jake stood there. His face and snarl was like an enraged animal. Rogue slammed her elbow into the man's side and Jake spat some flames in the man's eyes, blinding him. He then finished him off with a clothesline. Jake hovered a couple inches of the ground. He landed and walked to Marie, concern on his face.  
  
"You OK?"  
  
"Ah'm fine. A little shaken, but fine." Rogue looked at him. "What was that all about?"  
  
"Well." Jake shyly blushed. "I.did-did-didn't w-want to.to see you get hurt." Marie shook her head.  
  
"Just fly me home." Rogue sighed with some awe. Jake picked her up and concentrated. He hovered, then he was flying like a bird. Rogue couldn't help but smile. This guy's alright. She mused. He's a mutant, huh? Ah'm gonna have to see what you can do, Jake Wildfire. He is kinda cute in this light."You were amazing, Jake!" She said. Jake started blushing. He is kinda cute when he blushes, too.This does feel nice, Jake carrying me home.He was sweet to walk me home, and he was brave to face those thugs back there. Ah'll keep quiet about this. Ah don't want anyone to go crazy with worry.  
  
"Uhh...gee, thanks....heh heh...." Jake replied nervously. Then, they flew over a huge building. Rogue told Jake to land near there. When they did, a German kid ran up to the two mutants.  
  
"Sis, are you OK?" The boy said in a thick German accent.  
  
"Yeah, Ah'm alright, Kurt. Thanks to goofball over here." Rogue said, pointing to Jake.  
  
"Hey!" Jake said as a mock threat. He then saw Jason at the door of the building.  
  
"Yo." Jason said, coolly.  
  
"Yo, yourself." Jake said, smiling. His smile dropped as he reflected on what just happened. "Man, that was weird. I flew! I FLEW! What in the world is going on here? I also spit an inferno into that thug's face! What happened to me to cause this?"  
  
"Perhaps I can explain that." A voice said. Jake looked up at the door to see a bald man in a wheelchair. The man and wrestler introduced one another and then the Professor brought Jake into the mansion. There, Jake learned about mutants, met the other X-Men, and regaled them with stories of his father's legendary pro wrestling career. He even offered to teach a few moves. After he left, the X-Men were left amazed by the teen mutant.  
  
"I am amazed! That Jake Wildfire is one incredible person. Rogue, how did you meet him?" Storm inquired.  
  
"I think Storm wants some of the dragon." Jason "Foxfire" Fox butted in, reappearing out of nowhere. Jason was a mutant as well. His abilities were invisibility and the power to shoot flames from his hands.  
  
"Excuse me?" Storm replied.  
  
"Storm, You are so intelligent, yet so naive." Jason retorted. Storm looked ready to blast Foxfire with 2,000,000 volts of pure lightning. Even she found Jason annoying. Every female did.  
  
"Like, where'd that 'Dragon' bit come from?" Kitty "Shadowcat" Pryde asked.  
  
"Ah get it. X-Pervert is saying that if Jake joins the X-Men, 'Dragon' would be the perfect codename for him." Rogue responded, crossing her arms.  
  
"Yeah. Jake's basically a dragon in a human form." Scott "Cyclops" Summers concluded.  
  
"Wow, you figured that out all by yourself? It's a miracle! Hallelujah!" Foxfire cheered, laughing. If there was one major crack in the X-Men, it was that Foxfire and Cyclops never got along. Jason would often make jokes about Scott's "fearless leader" role. Out of jealousy, Foxfire often tried to make Cyclops look bad.  
  
"Fox, shut up." Scott replied in a tired manner. "I am exteremely fed up with your constantly being a nuisance. I hope Jake is not like you, Shades." Jason ripped off his glasses and stared down Scott. Cyclops smiled, knowing he got under Fox's skin. There were only two things that did that: A guy calling Jason "Foxy", and making fun of his shades.  
  
"Relax, Scott. Jake ain't like Jason, thank God." Rogue defended. "He's very sweet. Sickeningly sweet, but he kinda grows on ya." The Southern Belle started to blush.  
  
"Hey, I think my sister has a crush on zis Jake guy." Kurt laughed. Rogue looked up at her blue-furred brother like she was about to kick him right in the head. After this, the X-Men went to their rooms, still abuzz about the mutant wrestler.  
  
The next day, Jake was hanging out alone on a street when he encountered a white-haired kid packing super speed.  
  
"HEYJAKEY!" The kid yelled.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Thename'sPietro.PietroMaximoff,thebestlookingguyinthistown.Iheardthatyouwer eamutant."  
  
"Yeah. You are too. Super speed's a cool power. I can fly and breathe fire." Another voice, a familiar voice, asserted itself.  
  
"Well, well, well! If it ain't the Brotherhood's very own fruitcake." Jason was leaning against the wall, smirking. Jason enjoyed making Quicksilver jokes as much as he enjoyed making Cyclops jokes. Pietro "Quicksilver" Maximoff looked rather annoyed at that crack.  
  
"Well, if it ain't X-Pervert himself." Quicksilver joked.  
  
"At least I'm straight!" Jason retorted. It then erupted into a verbal war. Quicksilver and Foxfire were trading insults, and it was getting close to trading jabs. At that time, a hunched-over kid leapt out of the shadows.  
  
"Yo."  
  
"What the......" Jake was spooked by the frog-like freshman. But then, the two mutants....."Todd?"  
  
"Jake?" Toad asked, almost trying to dredge up a memory. "Jake, ya old nut!!!!"  
  
"Todd, my old friend!" Jake yelled. The two hugged and started chatting up about old times in Boston, where the two originally resided. It turned out that Jake Wildfire and Todd Tolensky met there when they were younger. Jake was the first person that Toad actually considered a friend. Actually, more like an older brother.  
  
Foxfire and Quicksilver took a break from beating each other senseless and stared agape as the two old friends talked about stuff in general. Then they saw Todd and Jake walk off together, cracking jokes, like the old days.  
  
"Todd never told me he knew that goofball." Quicksilver said.  
  
"A: Jake ain't a goofball. and B: You should try getting to know people instead of drinking all that bleach, weedbrain!" yelled Foxfire. They immediately started fistfighting again.  
  
Later on, Jake returned to the Institute. When he got there, Jason had told Kitty about his friendship with Toad.  
  
"Uh......Jake.....like, there's something you totally need to know about Todd." The Chicago Valley Girl started.  
  
"What?" Jake responded. Kitty then told Jake about the Brotherhood/X-Men feud. Jake was shocked. If he joined the X-Men, he would end up an enemy to his first best friend. If he joined the Brotherhood, he would end up making enemies of his new friends at the Institute. Jake became depressed."Oh man, oh man, oh man. I can't join one group without alienating someone I know in the other." He walked away, feeling really torn.  
  
"Hey, Jake! Ya don't need to decide right away!" Foxfire yelled. Shadowcat punched him in the jaw.  
  
When a down Jake walked out to the garden, he saw Storm and Rogue talking. He didn't want to intrude, but he was desperate for advice.  
  
"H-H-H-Hello, ladies." Jake said. "Sorry to i-intrude, but I nee-need some advice."  
  
"Quite alright, Jake." Storm replied, smiling.  
  
"It's OK, sugah." Rogue said. Jake started blushing again.  
  
"Well, ya know Toad, right?" Jake started. The ladies nodded. "Well, he's an old, old friend of mine. We met in Boston. I consider him a little brother to me. He is in the Brotherhood. If I join you in the X-Men, I'll alienate him, which is not what he needs. He's lived a hard life. But if I join the Brotherhood, I'm afraid I'll end up making enemies out of you. I don't know what to do."  
  
"God, that's real tough." Rogue said.  
  
What will Storm tell Jake? Will Jake join the Brotherhood or the X-Men? Will Foxfire ever quit being a lamebrain? Find out on Genesis of a Dragon, pt.2! 


	2. Chapter 2

X-Men: Evolution - The Genesis of a Dragon pt.2  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution or anything to do with World Wrestling Entertainment. They are respectively owned by Marvel/WB and Titan Sports. Jake is the only thing that's mine.  
  
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Dear Journal, Man, oh man! Professor Xavier told me that I have a special gene in my DNA that allows me to fly and shoot flames from my mouth. I'm a freaking mutant!! And I thought the worst thing I had to worry about was the typical teenage angst. Not just that, but my friend Jason Fox is a mutant as well. I reunited with my old friend Todd Tolensky. Man, I haven't seen him in God knows how long. Anyway, Kitty Pryde told me that Todd, or "Toad" (as he'd like to be called), is in the Brotherhood, a band of troublemaking mutants. If I join the X-Men, but Todd will end up feeling abandoned because I am his only real friend as far as I know. If I join the Brotherhood, I could end up making severe enemies out of my new pals Scott, Kurt, Kitty, Rogue (Marie's "codename") and all the rest........and especially Jason. Why me? I wish there was a compromise. God, I don't ask for a lot, but can you help me, please?  
  
---Jake Wildfire  
  
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Three months later, Kitty and Kurt were walking down the street when they saw Jake in the park. He was staring up at the sky.  
  
"Like, it's Jake! Poor guy, having being torn like this. What can we do to help?"  
  
"I don't know, Katz-chen. I suggest we let him be for now." The two X-teens left Jake to his thoughts. Jake was pondering the consequences of his actions and what Storm had said.  
  
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"God, that's a tough one." Rogue had said.  
  
"Well Jake, The best advice I can give is to follow your heart." Storm concluded.  
  
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i"Easy for you to say, Storm."i Jake thought with some frustration. i"How can I follow my heart if it goes out in two opposite directions at once?"i Just then, Todd appeared out of the shadows.  
  
"Yo, Jake."  
  
"Hey Todd." Jake said somberly.  
  
"What's wrong, yo?" Toad asked.  
  
"Well Toddy, I am in a bit of a predicament."  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"You see, The X-Men and Brotherhood aren't exactly friends." Jake observed.  
  
"Understatement of the century, Jake." Toad laughed. "We pulled quite a few gags on those goody-goody X-Nerds."  
  
"I don't understand." Jake said.  
  
"Understand what?"  
  
"Well, the fact that you guys fight." Jake sighed. "Over the past three months, I've noticed you guys have skirmishes at the school and in town. And for what? Each mutant in Bayville has a special talent. I don't understand why you guys come together and use those talents for something greater. This fighting is a waste of time and energy."  
  
"Well, those guys think humans and mutants will get along. In their dreams. Us Brotherhood guys are realists. Humans will never understand us. They will never accept us." Todd sighed. "Jake, don't get me wrong. I know you are one of those guys who tries to be friendly to everyone, but you gotta understand bro, if humanity discovers us, they will think of us as an automatic threat. Humans don't want to understand things that are different. They only want to eliminate differences."  
  
"But doesn't all these differences make life exciting? When my dad wrestled, he was always excited, because he was going to a different place. He's been to Japan, to Mexico, to Europe, to Canada. He loved going to other places because of the different cultures and different sights."  
  
"What are you saying, yo?"  
  
"I have been thinking about my position over the past three months, and I've decided who's side I'll be on."  
  
"I understand if you want to join the X-Geeks." Todd sighed in defeat. "Just to let you know, your talents will be wasted with them." Jake smiled and shook his head. "Huh?"  
  
"I'm not joining the X-Men." Todd smiled and outstretched his hand.  
  
"Welcome to the Brotherhood of Mutants." Todd greeted. Jake shook his head again.  
  
"I'm not joining the Brotherhood either." Jake simply said. Todd looked puzzled. "Consider me neutral in the whole thing."  
  
"Neutral?" Todd was shocked. "You mean you are your own side?"  
  
"In a way." Jake responded. "I got friends in the X-Men: Scott, Kurt, Marie.In the Brotherhood, I have you. If I joined my friends in one group, I'd alienate my other friends in the other. So, I had to compromise. For me, the only way is the neutral way."  
  
"You can't please everyone, Jake. Your father was an entertainer, he should've taught you that." Todd reminded.  
  
"I know. But as an entertainer, you have to please as many as possible." Jake responded. "Wanna come over to my place?" The two mutants walked off.  
  
"Sure. Do you still have your Pay-Per-View collection?" Todd asked.  
  
"Does Hulk Hogan wear red and yellow?" Jake quipped. The two mutants left the park. As they walked to Jake's house, they saw a couple guys in the Bayville football team.  
  
"God, I hate those clowns." Todd grumbled.  
  
"I know what you mean." Jake sighed. "I mean, the football team is doing great recently, but why do they have to pick on people who don't like football?"  
  
"They torment the wrestlers?"  
  
"Yeah." Jake sighed. "They think the wrestlers are all a bunch of 'girly men'. They treat me the worst because my father wrestled professionally. They say things like 'Your dad's a dumb redneck' or 'Your dad ain't a real athlete' and stuff like that."  
  
"But your dad wrestled in high school. He went to the best college in Boston on a wrestling scholarship." Todd remembered. "He told me." Jake smiled.  
  
"Yeah. Wrestling did a lot of good for me and my family. I can't stand it when people make fun of the business. I can understand that not everyone likes pro wrestling, and some aspects of wrestling are staged, but that isn't supposed to matter." Unfortunately for the two mutants, the football team spotted them and was following them.  
  
"Hey Wildfire! Frogboy! Time for a beatdown!" One of them yelled. He had brown hair. The other was Duncan Matthews.  
  
"Hey Bill. Hey Duncan." Jake said quietly. Todd cowered behind him.  
  
"Hey Jakey!" Duncan laughed, grabbing Jake in a headlock. "Lookit me! I'm a rassler! Hyuk Hyuk!" He chortled like a retarded cowboy. "Yup! I can rassle!" Bill laughed and Duncan let him go. Bill then grabbed Toad.  
  
"Ugh. He's still alive? I thought I told you, Froggy, don't you ever come within sighting distance of normal people." Bill threw him over his shoulder and did what appeared to be a Torture Rack submission. "Hey Jake!" He mocked, sounding like a redneck. "I'm rassling! I'm Lex Luger, yuk yuk yuk." He then threw Todd onto the pavement. Jake was mad.  
  
"That's not funny you guys. Leave him alone." Jake said quietly.  
  
"Awww, the poor 'rassler's boy' can't take a joke." Duncan mocked, kicking Todd. " C'mon 'rassler's boy', hit me!" Duncan mocked again. He kept kicking Todd and Bill was laughing. "You gonna break my jaw with a fake punch?" Jake was starting to get really mad. He couldn't stand it.  
  
iThat muscle-headed dope!i Jake seethed. iI don't go around saying football players are dumb, or retarded, or anything like that. What gives him the right to make fun of wrestling? Wrestling has been an important part of my family heritage for 50 years. My dad has gotten injured doing that "fake fighting", Duncan! He's had broken bones, torn ligaments, and God knows what else! Now here he is, kicking the bejesus out of my best friend, and I can't do anything about it! Why does he have to torment me and Todd? Because we're not like him? How dare you, Duncan..HOW DARE YOU!!!!i Jake exploded. He flew at Duncan with a hard right hook.  
  
"OWW!!!" Duncan cried out in pain. Bill ran towards Jake, fists flying. Jake blocked and slammed his knee into his gut. Bill struggled for air and clutched his sides. Meanwhile, Toad got up and saw Duncan reel.  
  
"Ha! That showed you, jerk!" Toad laughed. Duncan tried to punch Todd's lights out. However, out of nowhere, Todd hit Duncan with a dropkick that would make Hardcore Holly proud (A/N: Hardcore Holly's dropkick is considered the best in the business). Jake was surprised when he saw Todd do it. The sight calmed down the wrestler, and he was able to think straight.  
  
"Let's get outta here." Jake calmly panted.  
  
"Yeah, yo." Todd agreed. The two friends quickly left. Bill and Duncan were left writhing in pain.  
  
"Man, Todd. You have one sweet dropkick." Jake said, astonished.  
  
"I do? Yeah, I do." Todd bragged. "Lucky shot."  
  
"Hmmm......" Jake scratched his chin. "Todd, I think we got you a calling. Come with me." Jake ran away in another direction, and Todd followed, curious about what Jake meant. Later on, Jake was standing in a wrestling ring located in his home's basement.  
  
"WRESTLING?!?!?! You think I might have a calling in WRESTLING?!?!?!" Toad yelled in shock.  
  
"Yeah." Jake said. "Think about it. I saw that dropkick you pulled on ol' Duncan. It think it might've broken his jaw wide open! Man, you'd have a heckuva career as a high flier." Todd smiled.  
  
"Hmmm......." He thought. "I did pull a sweet dropkick. Alright, I'll give it a whirl."  
  
"Hi boys." Upon hearing that voice, Jake started blushing again. Rogue was standing at the stairs. Jake was on the verge of fainting.  
  
"Hey." Todd said. He and Rogue didn't necessarily like each other very much. "Jake's teaching me how to wrestle.....like the pros do." As he said that, Toad pointed to an old WWF Summerslam poster, circa 1995, hanging on the wall. Rogue laughed.  
  
"Actually Marie, Todd may have a chance. We took on Duncan Matthews and Bill Unitas of the football team today. Todd smashed Duncan's jaw with a dropkick. With training, he could actually consider wrestling as a career option." Jake added.  
  
"Ah'm sure he does, goofball." Rogue retorted. She did not believe that Toad stood a chance in the squared circle, even if he was trained by the son of an ex-WWF legend.  
  
"Why do you call me that?" Jake wondered.  
  
"Because Ah think you are a goofball." Rogue teased. The Gothic Belle appeared to be flirting with the red-haired mutant. "But Ah like ya that way."  
  
"Yo, are you two gonna flirt or are we gonna learn to kick butt?!?! I wanna do those cool chops, Jake." Toad demanded.  
  
"Ok, ok, you win, old friend." Jake said, calming down Todd. "Care to join us?" Jake inquired.  
  
"Why not?" Rogue said as she entered the ring. For three hours, Jake taught Rogue and Todd the main basics of wrestling. His most important lesson was to find their own style. He saw Rogue as a martial artist and Todd as a high flier. Jake and Rogue went back to the mansion, with Todd following in the bushes.  
  
"Yo, I ain't welcome here."  
  
"Ok. Rogue and I will come in, and we'll sneak you in." Jake planned.  
  
"We, Wildfire?" Rogue asked.  
  
"Uh.....yeah, heh heh." Jake said, blushing. i"Oh man, she's gonna kill me."i Jake thought with a shudder. Just then, Rogue smiled.  
  
"Alright, but if we get caught, you take the blame." Rogue retorted.  
  
"Deal." Jake agreed. The plan went off without a hitch, but the next day, the three mutants had a lot of explaining to do.  
  
"Ok, you two! What was the deal bringing him here?!?!?" Yelled Scott, pointing at Todd like he was a pile of toxic waste.  
  
"Calm down, Scott. I brought him here. I wanted him to be by my side when I speak to the Professor." Jake responded, trying to calm the angry Cyclops down.  
  
"Yeah, yo." Todd confirmed.  
  
"Oh God, if the teachers see Todd, they will flip!"  
  
"Relax, Scott! I brought him, I'll explain the whole deal." Jake said.  
  
"Am I interrupting?" Wolverine walked in. He saw Todd and snarled.  
  
"Why me, yo? Jake is the only guy in the universe who never teased me." Toad cried.  
  
"Poor old tadpole." Rogue said sarcastically.  
  
"Now stop, you guys!" Jake pleaded. "Mr. Logan, I brought Toad here because I wanted him by my side."  
  
"What do ya mean, Wildfire?" Wolverine asked.  
  
"Well, if I join the X-Men, I'll have to face Toad as an enemy. That would seriously break my heart. We're old friends, practically brothers. If I join the Brotherhood, I'll make enemies out of all of you, and I have friends here too." Jake felt more confident now that Toad, Marie, and Scott, his friends, were behind him. "I don't want to make and enemy out of you, Mr. Logan. You scare me. I'll stay at the Institute to learn how to control my powers, but I shouldn't be considered an X-Man. I am saying that I want to be neutral. I don't want any part of this X- Men/Brotherhood stuff." Jake felt better. He hoped that Logan understood. Rogue never saw Jake emit so much confidence. She smiled slightly, probably out of respect for Jake. He was a goof, but he was capable of standing tall if he had to.  
  
"Ok....I'll talk to the Professor." Logan said, walking off. Scott's jaw dropped through the floor in shock.  
  
"Jake, you little...."  
  
"What'd I do, Scott?"  
  
"Jake, Ah can't believe that a goof like you managed to convince Logan." Rogue said, smiling. "You're one incredible character, Dragon." The Southern Belle whispered into Jake's ear. She walked away, leaving Scott agape and Jake as red a beet under a crimson light.  
  
"Dragon?" Jake wondered.  
  
"Don't ask me, Wildfire." Scott said. Jake felt like fainting.  
  
"This is crazier than the Gimmick Battle Royale at Wrestlemania X-Seven!" He yelled.  
  
Will the Professor recognize Jake's neutrality? Will Scott ever stop being so uptight? Find out in Genesis of a Dragon: pt.3! 


	3. Chapter 3

X-men Evolution: Genesis of a Dragon pt.3  
  
Disclaimer: Here we go again. I don't own X-Men: Evolution, or anything to do with the WWE or WCW. They belong to Marvel and Titan Sports. Jake Wildfire is mine.  
  
Author's note: This fic is set before Survivor Series 2002, wrestling fans!  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------  
  
Dear Journal,  
  
Oy vey! Man, these last five months have been crazy! I am learning to control my powers better with help from everybody, and Todd and I are renewing our old friendship. Scott flipped when I brought him into the mansion! Man, you should have seen his face! Anyway, I'm getting a funny feeling that Marie has a crush on me. Jason and Todd constantly tease me about it. Foxy once joked that I did the impossible by being the object of her affections. Speaking of Marie, I have been teaching her and Todd how to wrestle. Todd is a natural talent. His Frankensteiner is a work of art. Marie also performs a mean Moonsault. In essence, they're doing well. In other good news, the Professor accepted my neutrality. He's a real great guy, allowing me to train at the mansion despite my neutrality. There is a bad point to it though: When the X-Men and Brotherhood kids get into a fight at school, I end up playing negotiator/referee. Sometimes, I have to call on my wrestling knowledge, but that's another story. My dad has been asked to referee the Elimination Chamber match at Survivor Series. I hope he makes it OK. If the bump the ref in the HHH/Jericho Hell in a Cell match at Judgment Day took indicated anything, it showed that even refs aren't safe in these environments. I worry, but I also know my dad knows what he's doing. He's wrestled in cages before. He knows how to handle them.  
  
--Jake Wildfire ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------  
  
Jake, Todd, and Marie were in the Wildfire home's basement wrestling ring. Toad and Rogue were practicing elbow drops with Jake looking on.  
  
"Yo Jake! I heard your dad was coming out of retirement."  
  
"In a way, Toady. My dad, Eric "Blazer" Wildfire, former WWF and NWA Champion, will ref the Elimination Chamber match at Survivor Series."  
  
"Oh mah God." Rogue said. "The chamber is a big secret, from what Ah heard. All we know are the participants."  
  
"Yeah, although it does make the match more exciting. The anticipation is off the scale among fans. My dad has no idea what he's stepping into." Jake added excitedly, but also with a bit of worry.  
  
"Speaking of that......Ah heard a very wild rumor......" Rogue started.  
  
"That your old man is coming back to the WWE." Todd ended.  
  
"Yeah, I heard that." Jake replied, grinning. "My dad is considering returning to the WWE, but I think he plans to return later on, like maybe next year's Royal Rumble." Jake walked to the other side of the ring.  
  
"I heard your old man participated in eight Royal Rumbles." Todd added.  
  
"I don't hear any elbows dropping." Jake smiled. Marie and Todd got right back to their training. Afterwards, Rogue admired the posters of various WWF/WWE and NWA events over the years covering the walls. She stopped at a poster from Survivor Series 1997.  
  
"The Montreal Screwjob. I saw that in 1997. Vince was crazy to pull that stunt on Bret Hart." Jake remembered.  
  
"Yeah. Why did Vince do that?" Todd asked. The "Montreal Screwjob" was infamous. Every wrestling fan knew of it.  
  
"Well, Bret was going to WCW, and Vince didn't want to be embarrassed by Bret appearing on WCW TV with the WWF title around his waist. So, at Survivor Series '97, when HBK trapped Bret in a Sharpshooter, Vince demanded the bell be rung, awarding the win and title to the Heartbreak Kid, even though the Hitman never submitted. It was originally planned like this: HBK would almost win, then Owen Hart would save Bret, resulting in a DQ. Bret would then drop the title. He didn't want to lose the title in Canada. I saw Bret spit in Vince's face afterwards, and he even gave McMahon a punch in the locker room." Jake reminisced.  
  
"Jeez. That's low, man. Bret was one of the greats." Todd shook his head sadly.  
  
"And he's a very nice guy. I met him a few times. What a shame." Jake said.  
  
"Anyway, why don't we go upstairs?" Rogue requested. Todd followed her up, hoping for a snack.  
  
"I'll be up in a sec." Jake called, grabbing a bunch of blueprints and stuffing them in his backpack. An hour later, Jake arrived at the Institute. He went down to the basement, and borrowed some supplies. Then he laid out the plans and started building. Hank "Beast" McCoy, one of the teen X-Men's instructors, walked down and saw the red-haired wrestler at work.  
  
"You must be Jake Wildfire." Mr. McCoy introduced himself, and outheld his blue furry hand.  
  
"Marie told me about you." Jake said, shaking Mr. McCoy's hand. Beast looked at the plans that Jake had unfurled.  
  
"A boxing ring?" He asked.  
  
"Nope. A wrestling ring. My father wrestled professionally for years." Jake answered.  
  
"I heard about you and your powers. That would explain why Rogue tends to call you 'Dragon'. That would be a good codename for you. I also heard that you are friend with one of the boys from the Brotherhood."  
  
"Toad was my best friend for years, Mr. McCoy. I got him to join the X-Men. It was the only way to get me to join. Can I ask you something?" Jake inquired nervously.  
  
"Ask away." Beast smiled.  
  
"Ok, well.....I am normally pretty shy, but around Rogue, I get all weird." Jake responded. Beast looked at him quizzically. "Uh, well....I start blushing and I can barely stand. I don't know what's up with me."  
  
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you had a crush on Rogue." Hank smiled.  
  
"Not to mention she scares the living heck out of me at times. I got to know her better, but she still scares me." Jake drooped his head, feeling a little strange.  
  
"Well, she does kind of give that impression to some people. Talk to Storm. I'm sure she can help." Beast advised. He ended up helping Jake finish building his wrestling ring.  
  
"Now I can train Todd and Rogue at the Institute. Thanks, Beast. I'll take your advice." Unbeknownst to Jake, Marie was standing in the shadows nearby. She started blushing herself.  
  
"Jake.....If ya only knew how Ah felt about you. Now what am Ah sayin'? Jake's a nutball. BUT HE IS SOOO AMAZING!!!!! Ah mean, his dad's a wrestling legend, Jake has a heart of gold, and he makes me feel really upbeat, which is rare for me. Oh man, how will Ah tell that goof? He likes me the same way, so what have Ah got to lose? Easy, Marie, ol' girl. Ya don't wanna scare him." Rogue mentally told herself. She saw Jake climb into the finished ring and jump around on it, testing its strength and bounciness.  
  
"Geez, I can't believe I told Beast about that! Rogue may act like a moody old wench, but I know she's really a nice person. She just scares the living bejesus outta me. Whenever Marie is around, I turn into a wobbly pile of jelly. Oh man, oh man. Rogue thinks I'm just a goofy dreamer, but I really want to be a wrestler. I want to be the next Ric Flair, or Hulk Hogan. Maybe.....I can imagine it. Me walking down the ramp at Wrestlemania, with Marie by my side. Watching me win the title from the ring. I gotta find the courage to talk to Marie without looking like a spooked-out dolt. I can do it! I'll need help, though. Maybe Kitty or Kurt can help........" Jake planned in his mind.  
  
Jake and Rogue finally realize their true feelings for each other! Can "Dragon" muster up the courage to tell Rogue? How will Toad and Foxfire react? Will Jake ever accomplish his dream of being a pro wrestling superstar? Find out on Genesis of a Dragon: pt.4! 


	4. Chapter 4

Genesis of a Dragon pt.4  
  
Disclaimer: I don't anything to do with WWE (That doesn't quite sound right.) nor do I own X-Men: Evolution. Marvel's got the merry mutants, and Titan Sports has the WWE.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------- Dear Journal,  
  
I finally know it! I'm head-over-heels in love with Marie! I never felt so weird before. I have visions of Marie and me walking down the ramp at Wrestlemania for the main event, like Randy Savage and Elizabeth. Oh, brother! Well, in other news, Foxy and Scott are arguing again over God knows what. I swear, one day, those two will kill each other. Well, Fox will never be satisfied until he leads the X-Men. My dad's been traveling, getting some publicity for his big WWE return. I guess he wants to return sooner than I thought. Oh well, you know what they say, you can take a wrestler out of the ring, but you can't take the ring out of the wrestler. I gotta go; I think Foxy got in trouble at school again. Will that clown ever learn?  
  
--Jake Wildfire ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------  
  
At Bayville High, Jason Fox was struggling through a very boring class, with an old hag as a teacher. As she was droning on slowly, Jason was on the verge of going nuts.  
  
"Excuse me?" Jason requested, raising his hand.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Fox." The old teacher responded.  
  
"No offense, but could you PLEEEEEEASE go faster?!?! I mean, none of us are getting any younger here." Foxfire pleaded. "C'mon, woman! I gotta life, ya know!"  
  
"You call chasing girls a life, yo?" Todd joked. Todd sat next to Foxy. Jason looked rather annoyed. He hated being interrupted, especially by Todd Tolensky.  
  
"Shut. Up. Todd." Fox grumbled.  
  
"Mr. Fox, you must learn a little patience. It is a virtue."  
  
"BOOOOORRRRRRING!" Fox wisecracked.  
  
"You are not making this class go any faster, Mr. Fox." The old teacher said, slightly angered.  
  
"Look lady, just because you haven't got any since 1775, that gives you no right to take out all your troubles on me!" Jason yelled. He was in trouble now.  
  
"TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE, MR. FOX!!!!!! NOW!!!!!!!" The teacher screeched, pointing at the door.  
  
"Fine." Jason grumbled, grabbing his books and getting up. As he was leaving, he was muttering about being persecuted because he was good-looking. Later on, Kurt, Kitty, Lance and Todd were having lunch together when Jake arrived. Kitty was reluctant to have Todd there and Kurt was reluctant to have Lance around, but they stayed out of trouble. The picnic was Jake's idea. He hoped to let the members of the two groups get to know each other better, and reduce tensions in the process. Speaking of Jake, he made his appearance.  
  
"Hey guys." Jake said happily.  
  
"Guten Tag, Herr Dragon. Vhere is Fox?" Kurt inquired, guzzling a soda.  
  
"Like, yeah. He was supposed to join us." Kitty added.  
  
"Loudmouth made fun of the teacher." Lance snickered.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"He got into detention again, yo." Todd answered. "He yelled at the teacher because the class was boring. That butthead can't keep his big mouth shut." Toad then proceeded to scarf up some nachos.  
  
"No surprise. He told me the teacher got mad at him because he was better-looking than the teacher." Jake joked. He sat down and pulled out a ham-and-cheese sandwich. Out of the corner of his eye, the son of a wrestling legend saw a certain Goth sitting by herself under a tree, reading Dracula.  
  
"Maybe I can get Rogue to join us." Jake thought out loud, getting up.  
  
"Like, not a good idea, Wildfire." Kitty jumped up.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Mein sister enjoys being by herself. Her powers and all." Kurt warned. Jake was very well aware of Rogue's mutant powers. Still, nothing would stop Jake from his goal, not even a Banzai Drop from the late Yokozuna.  
  
"Maybe I can help." Jake said.  
  
"Yeah right, bud." Todd joked. "Are you immune to her powers or something?"  
  
"I doubt it. But maybe she'd like someone to talk to, even if she does think I have my head in the clouds all the time." Jake reasoned. Rogue overheard and looked up.  
  
"Let the goof come over! How much damage can he do?" Rogue ordered.  
  
"Fine, yo. Your funeral." Toad warned Jake. Jake grabbed a book out of his bookbag and ran to the tree.  
  
"Hey, Marie." Jake said quietly. His confidence had increased since discovering his powers, but he was still shy around Rogue. Rogue cracked a smile.  
  
"Hey, Goof. Ya like to read?"  
  
"Yeah." Jake's blush got brighter. "Dracula? I saw the movie." Rogue smiled at the remark.  
  
"Me too. It was alright." Rogue then patted the ground next to her. "Sit down, Goofy. Ah won't bite." Jake sat down, blushing. He opened up his book, Mick Foley's latest bestseller, and he tried to crack a few jokes. After ten minutes, the two saw Pietro standing there in front of them.  
  
"Well, ain't this the cutest?" Pietro mocked.  
  
"What do you want, Pietro?" Rogue sighed. She then turned to Jake. "Why does he bother me?" Jake only shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"You know him better than I do, Marie." Jake said. "He can't stand not being in the spotlight." Jake looked and saw Jason Fox walk to the picnic, claiming that his rights were violated because he was good- looking. Jake sighed. "Pietro, why don't you join us? Bring your lunch."  
  
"No way, Dragon!" Pietro glared at Jake. "I don't trust you. I've seen your type. You are just like Daniels, always trying to be the goody-goody X-Geek."  
  
"I am not an X-Geek, Pete." Jake shook his head. "I only train my powers with the X-Men." Pietro's glare remained unchanged.  
  
"Well, beautiful." Pietro grabbed Rogue's arm. "How 'bout you and I get together later on?"  
  
"How 'bout no?" Rogue glared.  
  
"Back off, Pietro!" Snarled Jake. "Keep your slimy mitts off her!"  
  
"Well, well. Here's a twist. A dragon actually defending the maiden." Pietro wisecracked. He faced Jake, still holding Rogue's arm. Jake grabbed Pietro's wrist and twisted it. Pietro was forced to let go of Marie.  
  
"I warned you." Jake said.  
  
"I thought you were just a bookworm, Jakey. Tell me, are you defending her because it's the right thing to do, or do you like her?" Pietro asked. He was trying to psyche out Dragon, holding his twisted wrist. It seemed to work, because Jake blushed and his face displayed intense shock. Rogue saw this and she realized Jake's secret.  
  
"He does like me! Oh mah God! Aw Jake........You have no idea." Rogue mentally reasoned. She then tackled Quicksilver from behind, and Jake held him up.  
  
"Marie! Absorb his power!" Jake ordered, holding Pietro up. The Southern Belle immediately removed her right glove. Just when she was about to touch Pietro, the speedy egomaniac ducked, causing Rogue's bare hand to make contact with Jake's cheek. Kitty, Todd, Kurt, and Jason ran to the scene, shocked by what they saw.  
  
"Holy Cow!" Jason yelled.  
  
What did Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Toad, and Foxfire see? Did Rogue absorb Dragon? Find out on Genesis of a Dragon pt. 5! 


	5. Chapter 5

X-Men Evolution: Genesis of a Dragon pt.5  
  
Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own X-Men: Evolution. Plus, anything to do with the WWE is property of Titan Sports.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------  
  
Dear Journal,  
  
It's me again. Foxy got in detention again. This time for yelling at the teacher. How many times did he get in detention this week, twelve or thirteen? Anyway, I think Marie is warming up to me. I told her about that Wrestlemania vision I have, and she thinks it's rather crazy, but it could happen. Toad and Fox still tease me about my liking her. Man, I thought they were my friends! Well, I don't see Foxy getting a girl anytime soon. Well old friend, I gotta go. Kitty, Kurt, and Todd invited me to a picnic. Foxy was gonna be there, but he got detention again. Maybe Rogue can come.  
  
--Jake Wildfire ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------  
  
Pietro, Kitty, Kurt, Jason, and Todd looked on in shock as they witnessed what they thought was impossible. Rogue tried to absorb Pietro's powers, but he ducked, and the Gothic Belle's bare hand clamped on the cheek of Jake Wildfire. Amazingly, nothing happened! Rogue didn't receive any of Jake's powers, knowledge, or memories, and Jake never felt drained.  
  
"Like, Jake......how'd you....." Kitty stammered.  
  
"Ah.....how'd.....but....." Rogue was incredibly shocked. Her powers appeared to have no effect on Jake!  
  
"Yo, this is nuts. Jake is a human flying flamethrower and now he is immune to Rogue's power!?!?" Todd looked around, eyes wide open. "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!?!?!?!?!?"  
  
"I can't believe this." Jason said, wiping his shades with a cloth.  
  
"Jake.......oh mah God......oh mah God....." Rogue stared at her hand and up at Jake. How he was immune was anyone's guess.  
  
"How'd you do zat, Dragon? How come my sister is able to touch you?" Kurt stared at Jake like the wrestler grew three heads.  
  
"HolyCow,Jakey!!!!How'dHow'dHow'dHow'dHow'd" Pietro was shocked. He had so wanted to be able to touch Marie, and now it seemed that that honor was bestowed upon a nerdy dreamer who had visions of wrestling glory in his head. "Why him? Why Jake?" Pietro mentally screamed. "WHYYYYYYY JAAAAAAAAAKE!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? What is it that makes him so special? He's a nerd! He's a doofus! Is it because of this?" Pietro stared angrily at Jake.  
  
"Looks like a showdown in Bayville, folks!" Jason whooped.  
  
"Yo, look at Pietro's face." Todd pointed at an angry Pietro. "I think Jake's got a rival."  
  
"Aw, man! Zis is gonna be brutal." Pietro looked like he was about to strike Jake right in the face. Jake stared at Pietro with a look that said, "I don't wanna fight you, but if I have to, I will." The three X-Men and one Brotherhood member stared at Pietro and Jake.  
  
"Wildfire..." Pietro warned. "...First, you make Toad a traitor, and then you steal the girl of my dreams! Watch yourself, Dragon! Pietro Maximoff always gets his revenge." Quicksilver then sped off before Jake could respond. Jake turned around and smiled.  
  
"He's just jealous." Jake joked. Rogue put her glove back on, her face as stoic as always, but inside she was jumping for joy. She found someone she could safely touch, and she was trying to resist the urge to jump up and let out a great big "YAHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"  
  
"C'mon, you guys! We got a picnic, and I am staaaaaarved." Foxfire moaned, clutching his stomach.  
  
"You are so stupid, Foxy." Kurt sighed.  
  
"Don't ever call me Foxy, fuzzface." Jason warned.  
  
"Like, let's eat." Kitty said.  
  
"Yo, I want nachos!" Todd chimed as he followed the others back to the picnic. Jake stared at them and then at Rogue.  
  
"Want to join us?" Dragon smiled. Rogue smiled back.  
  
"Alright, screwball. Just as long as Ah don't end up sitting near X-Pervert."  
  
"If he tries anything, I'll dropkick him right out of town." Rogue shook her head, then followed Jake to the "picnic." The Southern Belle secretly thought Jake was being a true gentleman. This relationship was going to be unique. As Pietro had said, it was a twist for a dragon to be in love with the maiden. The gang returned and found Lance had dozed off. He was just waking up.  
  
"What's up?" Avalanche wondered. Professor X got wind of this latest development in Jake's mutation, and he called for the senior X-Men.  
  
"Charles, Jake is undoubtedly a special mutant. His immunity to Rogue's touch could be an indication of things to come." Beast said.  
  
"I have sensed that he is unlike any other mutant." Professor X remembered. "His powers are strong, but he has not tapped into his full potential."  
  
"Full potential? Chuck, that kid's dragon breath can melt boulders and he is not yet at full potential?!?!" Logan's eyes bulged at that statement. He trained with Jake and he saw what Dragon can do. Wolverine was surprised, which was a rarity. He would have to give Wildfire credit for that.  
  
"Hmmmmm......I wonder..... If Jake reaches his full power, what could he be capable of?" Storm pondered. She was slightly worried that Jake's powers could cause him to go out of control. Logan, Xavier, and Ororo conversed on about Jake and his powers. Meanwhile, Jake and his friends were hanging out.  
  
"Nice one, Jake. Pietro hates your guts. All this over Rogue." Scott said sternly.  
  
"You don't know, huh?" Todd asked, looking around.  
  
"Know what, Frog?" retorted Jason.  
  
"Shut up, Queen Foxy! Anyway, Pietro has had this crush on Rogue ever since she was in the Brotherhood, yo. He's obsessed with her. If Rogue has feelings for Jake and Pietro finds out, you guys will end up dealing with a very mad speedster. I've seen Quicksilver angry. It ain't pretty, yo. It ain't pretty." Toad announced with a slight laugh. Fox took off his shades and held up his fist, which burst into flames.  
  
"Calm down, Foxfire!" Scott ordered.  
  
"Ja, you guys. Besides, how do ve stop Quicksilver when he is mad?" Kurt pondered. While Scott, Jake, Jason, and Todd were talking, Kitty and Rogue were having their own conversation.  
  
"Like, you know you have a crush on Jake."  
  
"Ah do not, Pryde! Jake is a doofus!"  
  
"But he is totally nice, rather handsome, and.....he likes you for sure."  
  
"Alright, Ah'll admit it. Jake is sweet, but he is such a nutball. He dreams of being at Wrestlemania."  
  
"Did I fail to mention that you can safely touch him, Marie?"  
  
"Shut up, Kitty."  
  
"I'm, like, totally serious! You touched Jake, and nothing happened. I saw the look in your eyes, Rogue. When you discovered it, you wanted to give him a great big kiss." Rogue cringed.  
  
"You lost your mind! Ah do not like Jake!" Kitty shot Marie a look that said, "Yeah right". "Awright! Ah like Jake as a friend. He's a good guy." Kitty was not satisfied. She continued to bug Marie about her feelings for the wrestling dragon. Marie got so annoyed that she yelled. "AWRIGHT!!!! AWRIGHT!!! AH'M IN LOVE WITH THAT WRESTLER!!!! AH LOVE JAKE!!!! YA HAPPY NOW, KITTY?!?!?!?!?" Marie's yelling was so loud the entire mansion heard it.  
  
"I knew it! I totally knew it! The man of Marie's dreams is a dragon! Whooooo-hooooo! Man, Jake will flip when he hears this!" Kitty whooped, laughing her head off. The Gothic Belle stormed off madly. Jake overheard the yelling fit, and it caused him to blush and faint.  
  
"Whoa! Jake's bagged a gal! I had began to wonder if he was straight." Foxfire joked.  
  
"You definitely need a life, Foxflame!" Todd cracked.  
  
'That's FoxFIRE, you dopey amphibian!" Fox yelled.  
  
"You know what an amphibian is? You aren't as stupid as I thought." Todd smiled. That joke would even make Logan snicker. Jason's fists went ablaze. He looked like he was about to fry Toad and then eat his carcass. Scott ended up standing between Jason and Todd, trying to prevent the two mutants from killing each other.  
  
"Great! Just great!" Scott muttered as he separated Jason and Todd. "Now, I have to deal with a rivalry between Dragon and Quicksilver." Cyclops didn't notice Jake getting up. Jake was freaked out, but he still heard what Scott said.  
  
"Actually Scott, this little 'rivalry' is one-sided. Pietro hates me. I don't really care." Jake then blushed. Foxfire took the opportunity and escaped from Cyclops's grip. He tackled Toad, and the two mutants engaged in fisticuffs, Irish whipping and punching each other down the hall. They also spit slime and threw fireballs all over the place. Scott chased after them, yelling at them to knock it off. Jake was alone in the room, but not for long. Rogue stormed past him, still angry. "Hi, Marie." Jake happily greeted. He ended up getting clotheslined. Rogue looked down on him angrily for a few seconds, then she kneeled down next to the fallen Dragon. A small smile played on her lips.  
  
"Hi, Jake." Marie then gave Jake a kiss on the cheek and walked off. She mused as she made herself scarce. "Jake, you are a goofball, but Ah love ya." Unbeknownst to anyone, a certain silver-haired mutant saw what happened through the window.  
  
"Jake Wildfire, you will pay. That's a promise. You stole my girl. I will slay you, Dragon. By God, I will get my revenge." Quicksilver quietly grumbled, clutching his fist.  
  
What will Pietro do to Jake "Dragon" Wildfire? Will Jake be able to win the day? Will Foxfire ever get along with the other X-Men? Find out on Genesis of a Dragon pt.6!!!!! 


	6. Chapter 6

X-Men Evolution: Genesis of a Dragon pt.6  
  
Disclaimer: Man, this is getting very tiring. Anything wrestling or X-Men: Evolution related ain't mine. Titan Sports and Marvel own those.  
  
Author's Note: This chapter contains Survivor Series references. If you aren't a fan, you can skip it. Y2J fans may not like what happens to him here.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------  
  
Dear Journal,  
  
Another day has passed. I just recently discovered that Rogue's power-absorbing touch has no effect on me. I think this might be a sign or something. Oh man, you should've seen the brawl Toad and Foxfire had yesterday. Those two are impossible! Fireballs and slime were flying everywhere. Not all the news is good...or hilarious. Pietro Maximoff hates my guts! Toad told me that he is like this because he's had the hots for Rogue for a very long time, since she was in the Brotherhood. I mean, c'mon! Rogue should be allowed to like whoever she wants. She happens to like me, but I'm not mad at Quicksilver, I mean, life is hardly fair. I guess Pietro will have to try again in love. I'm sure someone out there likes him, so he shouldn't really worry.  
  
--Jake "Dragon" Wildfire ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------  
  
Jake Wildfire, the mutant known as Dragon, was eating his lunch, which was rather large on a Friday. Out the corner of his eye, the starving Dragon saw Marie, followed by Risty.  
  
"Hmm......." Dragon pondered. "Something is not right here. That Risty appears to be normal, but I have a weird feeling that she is hiding something big. I just can't put my finger on it, but Risty might not be who she says she is. Maybe it's just me." Jake mentally shrugged off the thought. Marie intrduced Risty to Jake a month ago. Ever since then, Jake has gotten that weird feeling around the British girl that she is hiding something.  
  
"Hi, Jake." Marie waved. Jake waved back. When Risty saw the size of Jake's lunch, her eyes bulged.  
  
"Oh my God! M-Marie, your boyfriend eats more than that Dukes kid!!!!" Risty exclaimed. Jake blushed. It was slightly embarrassing for him, being known as Marie's boyfriend.  
  
"Jake's a big eater. Ah wish Ah had his metabolism. He can eat and eat and not gain weight. Ah really think mah Jake has a bottomless pit for a stomach." Rogue snickered, and then a thought blasted into her head. "Did Ah just......tell a joke? Man, Jake is rubbing off on me."  
  
"Hey, ladies." Jake flashed a goofy grin. Rogue smiled, and she and Risty sat down with the wrestling mutant. Ten seconds later, Fox and Todd joined up. "Hey, guys."  
  
"Hello, Risty-licious." Foxy said suavely, kissing her hand. Risty immediately took her hand away, disgusted. "Feisty."  
  
"Sick neanderthal." Risty quipped. Todd snickered.  
  
"Yo, Jake! You and I gonna go to the arcade after school?" Todd gleefully asked.  
  
"Sorry, Toddy. I got practice. But afterwards...." Jake started.  
  
"Jake and Ah are going out on Sunday." Rogue finished with an evil smirk directly aimed at Jake. Jake blushed. No telling what Rogue had planned for the future WWF Superstar.  
  
"Cool, yo!" Todd said, wiping away a fake tear. "My old friend's got his *sniff* first date."  
  
"AWRIGHT, JAKE-O!!!" Fox whooped, patting Jake's shoulder rather hard. "Man, I am so proud. Marie's gonna have the time of her life, wink wink." Jason smirked at Marie. The Gothic Belle didn't exactly like that remark.  
  
"Well...." Jake tried to think of a way to say what he wanted. "This is nuts!" Just then, a blur sped by, knocking the table over, making a real mess.  
  
"What the...?" Foxy yelled.  
  
"Hey, look yo!" Todd pointed at a note on the floor. He picked it up and read it. "Dear Jakey: This is just the beginning! -Pietro Maximoff."  
  
"He's serious about this, ain't he?" Foxy observed. Jake grabbed the note, and crumpled it up.  
  
"He's nuts." Jake added coolly. "If this is Pietro's Revenge, then I'm Ric Flair's grandson. The guy has a bigger ego than Y2J and Kurt Angle combined. He's all talk." The bell signaling the end of lunch rang.  
  
"Ah'll see you after practice, Goofball." Rogue said, giving Jake a kiss on the cheek as she walked away.  
  
"Oooooooooooooo, Jaaaaaaaaaaaakeyyyyyyyyy..........." Todd and Fox chanted as they left as well. Jake followed, exasperated and asking them to quit the bad jokes.  
  
"I can't believe Marie got me into a date." Jake sighed. "Aw well. Gotta take it in the chin." Dragon failed to notice Pietro watching him.  
  
"So.......Jakey's got a date." Pietro smirked evilly. "This will be fun. I'll muck it all up, and Rogue will leave him. Then she will have to like me." Quicksilver snickered as he formulated his plan. The big night arrived. Around 5:00 PM, Jake was getting ready for his "date". He showered, then looked in his closet.  
  
"Hmm......." Jake decided on blue jeans, his black "Austin 3:16" T-shirt, and a black leather jacket, with one blue sleeve with white stars, the other sleeve in red and white stripes, and the Harley-Davidson logo with a bald eagle on the back. "At least I didn't have to wear a tux." Jake ran down the stairs to see Evan and Kurt.  
  
"Jake, my man!" Evan high-fived Jake. "You look incredibly dope, man!"  
  
"Thanks." Dragon said nervously. He did not want to be reminded of the date. He was too scared. "So, I heard your parents are taking you on vacation Monday afternoon, huh?"  
  
"Yeah." Evan said excitedly. "Hitting Miami for a while. Primo skating and surfing." Kurt teleported in with his trademark BAMF!  
  
"Not to mention ze babes." The German turned to Jake. "Jake, Ve heard. Congratulations!" Kurt high-fived Jake as well.  
  
"Yeah." Jake was even more nervous than usual. He saw Kitty run down the stairs.  
  
"Like, totally presenting.....The Gothic Belle herself.....Marieeee!" Kitty announced. She had been helping Marie decided on an outfit. She came down wearing her black eye shadow and lipstick. She had on a Nine Inch Nails T-shirt with long gloves, a silver necklace with a cross pendant, and black jeans. Rogue shot Dragon a quick wink.  
  
"Oh, boy......" Jake blushed. "I feel weird....."  
  
"Good luck, Dragon. Don't let her slay ya!" Evan laughed.  
  
"I've never zeen my sister like zis." Kurt remarked. Jake cleared his throat. Kurt then shot Jake a glare. "You try anything, Wildfire." Jake looked shocked.  
  
"Oh come on, Jake's not that kind of guy." Kitty defended.  
  
"Yeah." Evan agreed. "If she were dating Foxy, then you'd have to worry." Jake just shook his head and held out his hand.  
  
"Shall we?"  
  
"Awright." Rogue took Jake's hand. Jake walked Marie to his truck, a beat-up 1986 Mazda pickup. When he entered the truck, Jake asked Marie where she wanted to go. "Ah dunno. Where do you think?"  
  
"Aw NUTS!!!!" Jake mentally cursed. "She wanted ME to plan this!! This is worse than that WCW invasion!" Jake sighed and thought for a second. "Hey, I know! There's that pizza place down at Elm."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"YESSSSS!!!!!!!!" Jake mentally whooped. He turned the ignition and started on his way. Unbenownst to the young couple, Pietro was following them. However, a black car was following them as well. When they got there, Jake began opening the door for Marie and things like that.  
  
"Ah thought chivalry was dead." Rogue thought. Dragon and Rogue sat down at a booth. Luckily, it was buffet night. All Jake had to do was pay $5.50 and they could have all they can eat. Pietro was watching them.  
  
"C'mon......C'mon....." He thought. "When will they leave the table?!?!?!" Pietro got his chance when Jake and Rogue left their pizza. Pietro snuck in, and like a blue-clad ninja, he sabotaged their pizzas with salt and pepper. However, when he left, two guys in black took the salty pizzas and replaced them with fresh pizzas. Quickie never saw this, and neither did Jake or Marie, because they went on eating and talking as normal upon their return. The black-clad guys snuck back to their car and took off their hoods. One had orange hair and wore a certain pair of red shades, and the other was a certain brown-haired frogman.  
  
"Good thing we decided to follow ol' Quickie." Foxy said.  
  
"Yeah, yo. I never thought he was this serious about ruining this date. Holy cow, man." Todd said.  
  
"Good thing we're here to protect this date without hopefully being discovered ourselves." Foxfire confirmed, grabbing two sodas, and passing one to Toad. They toasted Jake and Marie. They continued on with their plan, When Jake and Marie were at a movie, Fox and Toad were right behind them, catching food and drinks Pietro was throwing at them. Then, Jake and Marie took a walk in the park. Pietro tried to intercept, But Fox and Toad grabbed him, bound and gagged him, and then locked him their car, and they quickly sped off. Neither Jake nor Marie noticed.  
  
"Ah had a great time, Jake."  
  
"Uh.....heh...uh...yeah, uh......me....too....." Jake saw the sun setting. "Uh.....the sunset....nice....huh.....?"  
  
"Yeah, it's alright." Marie responded, with a small smile on her face. "Jake...."  
  
"Y-Y-Y-Yeah....."  
  
"Ah'm sorry Ah clotheslined ya yesterday. Kitty forced me to realize mah true feelings for you, and Ah was a little upset." Jake grinned and rubbed his neck.  
  
"That's Ok. Besides, you could give Bradshaw a run for his money with that clothesline." Jake snickered. To his surprise, he saw Marie do something that was totally uncharacteristic of her. She giggled. "I must be rubbing off on her." Jake mused.  
  
"Jake....ya know how to get to me." Rogue leaned and let her lips touch his, knowing nothing would happen. It was Marie's first kiss, and Jake's too. When she let Jake go, he showed a very goofy grin, with lipstick all over his mouth. Marie laughed, and helped Jake to his truck. When they got back to the Institute, Jake fainted in the middle of the living room. Kitty and Rahne helped Jake up and put him on the couch. When Jake woke up, he saw the Gothic Belle, the Chicago Valley Girl, and the Scottish Werewolf gossiping about Rogue and Jake's date in the next room. Foxfire's familiar face appeared, evidently Foxy was making himself visible. Toad hopped on the couch.  
  
"How'd it go, yo?"  
  
"Terrific....." Jake said dreamily.  
  
"Whoa! Lookit all that lipstick! She must've given you a good kissin'!" Foxy proclaimed. Jake touched his lips, and felt the black lipstick covering them.  
  
"Yeah.....I guess she did......" Jake smiled like a goof. He got up and went to get his jacket. When he passed the girls. Rahne gave Dragon a wolf whistle, and Rogue playfully hit her in the arm. As Jake went back to his room, he saw Logan leaning on a wall. "What's up?"  
  
"In all the time you trained under me, I've never been surprised like you have surprised me. I gotta hand it to ya, kid. You are a real incredible guy, Jake." Logan outstretched his hand. Jake saw this and shook it. "Don't tell anyone I said that, or I'll kill ya." Logan said with a snicker.  
  
"Yeah, I can keep a secret." Jake held his jacket over his shoulder, and walked to his room. Dragon then realized that his life would definetly never be the same again. "Man, I get superpowers, a girlfriend, and the respect of ol' Sourpuss. All in a short time. I wonder if I'll be this lucky in the world of pro wrestling." Just then, he heard Marie yell.  
  
"Jake! Survivor Series will be on! Toad and I are gonna see it." Fox yelled. Jake smiled. He knew Fox and Toad were fans. In fact, Jason wanted to pursue pro wrestling himself, for fame, fortune, and women. He walked back to the living room, and Jake saw Todd, who invited himself and the rest of the Brotherhood and Jason. They all knew that Jake's dad was a former WWE Superstar, and they wanted to see his "return" to the ring, whether they were fans or not. The girls were going out and they happened to pass by.  
  
"That Blazer looks just like Jake." Rahne held up a picture of the elder man that Rogue showed her. Tabitha was awestruck.  
  
"Now I know how Dragon became so dreamy." Tabby sighed, and Jake blushed shyly. He never thought himself as handsome. Fox looked on in shock.  
  
"I thought I was the handsome one." Jason quietly grumbled.  
  
"Forget it, you two! Jake is mine!" Rogue warned.  
  
"Have fun, girls! Don't get too tired out, because I might get a little bored after the Pay-Per-View." Jason grinned. The girls looked grossed out.  
  
"Keep dreaming, Fox." Rogue sighed. The girls left to have a night out. Pietro just fumed. He was getting frustrated thinking up ways to get revenge on Fox and Todd for ruining his attempts at ruining Jake and Rogue's date. He stared at Dragon angrily.  
  
"Your old man's an inbred redneck! I don't know why I'm here, watching a bunch of guys in tights fake beating each other up!"  
  
"Knock it off, Quicksilver!" Jake stood up. "My dad got hurt many times wrestling! Twelve broken bones, six hurt ligaments, and he nearly ended up paralyzed once! He loves this business! I love the business! I want to be the third Wildfire in the ring."  
  
"Third?"  
  
"My grandfather wrestled in the New England independents in the 50s and 60s." Jake explained calmly.  
  
"Jake considers wrestling a source of pride in his family." Blob explained. "And I'm here because I like wrestling. You watch it too, Pietro. You're just saying you hate wrestling because a wrestler stole the heart of a girl you like and you can't stand it!" Blob snapped. "So shut up!" Jake clapped.  
  
"Thanks, Fred." Blob smiled and nodded. The gang watched the entire event. They saw all the matches and sketches, with the occasional quip.  
  
"Ouch. I don't wanna be Matt Hardy right now!" Toad laughed as he saw Scott Steiner throw the high-flier around.  
  
"His 'Mattitude' ain't helping him one bit." Blob added.  
  
"Neither is that Harvard butthead Chris Nowinski." Fox pointed to the TV. "I think of Summers when I see him."  
  
"Amen to that, brother." Lance said. The big event came upon them. The Elimination Chamber. The gang was riveted to the six Raw Superstars going at it for the World Title, and Eric Wildfire, the Blazer, was in the center of it officiating.  
  
"Look at that dope Jericho!" Jake groaned. Jericho was arguing with Blazer. "Hey Y2Jerk, concentrate on the match, huh?" Jericho yelled something, and Blazer threw him through the glass wall of the chamber to a huge pop.  
  
"Fake!" Pietro cried out. Lance slapped him upside the head.  
  
"Shut up, man!"  
  
"The King of the World don't look so royal now." Fox quipped. The girls returned, carrying some bags. Rogue and Kitty stayed with the boys while Tabby and Rahne went to look over the stuff they got.  
  
"What happened?" Kitty asked.  
  
"It was great." Lance laughed. "Dragon's old man threw Jericho through the cage wall!"  
  
"I guess Dad is returning to the ring. They're using this to set up a feud." Jake explained. "Jericho will demand a match against Blazer after this, since he'll hold Blazer responsible for his not winning the title."  
  
"I knew Jericho would get screwed." Toad smiled. "He's been askin' for it for a long time." The match continued. Then something happened. RVD nailed HHH with his patented 5-Star Frog Splash, and the World Champion clutched his throat.  
  
"Mah God!" Rogue cried.  
  
"Is that supposed to happen?" Kitty asked Jake. He shook his head slowly.  
  
"I think RVD crushed his throat, Kitty." Fox said. Toad grabbed his throat.  
  
"I don't think Helmsley can go on." Todd said quietly.  
  
"It's fake!" Pietro snorted. "It's all fake!"  
  
"I don't think Triple H is faking it." Blob said. "I think he's hurt bad." On the TV, Blazer was on his knees, checking on Triple H. Blazer ordered the match to end, but the defending champ refused to let it happen.  
  
"Just like that infamous quad injury he suffered a while back. The guy's very tenacious. Knowing him, Triple H will continue and finish this match, crushed throat or no crushed throat." Jake said in a monotone voice.  
  
"Why? He needs to go to a hospital!" Rogue cried.  
  
"He said it best himself, Marie: No one eats, sleeps or breathes the business more than him. He's very dedicated. He won't let an injury stop him from doing his job: providing an entertaining match." Jake explained. True to it, HHH continued the match. It came down to the shocking end: Shawn Michaels hit his former friend with his superkick, the Sweet Chin Music, and got the big win.  
  
"HBK! HBK! HBK! HBK is the World Champ! By God, after 5 years, he did it! He did it!" Toad yelled. The boys hooted and cheered as Blazer raised the hand of the Heartbreak Kid.  
  
"Not bad for a guy with back problems." Fox quipped.  
  
"Actually, he's done a lot of healing up. His Summerslam performance said it all: HBK could still do the job if he needed to. Granted, he can't really wrestle every week, like he used to, but this showed that when he wrestles, he gives a show-stopping performance." Toad said. "Man.HBK.World Champ. Only in the WWE."  
  
"That was fun, Jake. Next month for Armageddon?" Lance asked.  
  
"Sure. My place?" Jake smiled and shook Lance's hand.  
  
"Deal."  
  
"I'm going home." Quicksilver zipped off angrily.  
  
"That was cool! Your old man rules!" Blob shook Jake's hand. "Hey, sorry about Pietro, man."  
  
"Not your fault, Fred." Jake smiled. "I guess he's still a bit broken-hearted."  
  
"And psycho." Fox joked. The three Brotherhood guys had their laughs and left. Jake stood at the door and became lost in thought.  
  
"Whatcha thinkin' about, Jake-o?" Fox queried.  
  
"I was thinking about the match we saw."  
  
"What about it? It was a wrestling match. Nothing special." Rogue shrugged.  
  
"I got a weird feeling that that match was foreshadowing something. Something big. Something terrifying." Jake stared into the stars.  
  
Will Pietro try to ruin Jake and Marie's romance again? Will the X-Men have to face a new threat? Find out on Genesis of a Dragon, pt. 7!!!!!!!!!!! 


	7. Chapter 7

X-Men Evolution: Genesis of a Dragon pt. 7  
  
Author's Note: This chapter starts out differently, but it is part of the story, so you don't need to worry. I was running low on ideas to continue until I saw "Masters of the Universe" on TV and I got hit with some inspiration.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------- Dear Journal,  
  
Survivor Series was one great Pay-Per-View. The HHH/HBK/Y2J/RVD/Booker T/Kane Elimination Chamber match was the best. I think it will be one of the best matches of the year, if not all time. The Brotherhood, Fox and I all saw it, fans or not (Blob told me that Pietro watches wrestling, but said the comments about wrestling being fake because he was trying to make me mad). They wanted to see my old man in the ring. Todd, Fox and Lance laughed their heads off when my dad, the Blazer, who refereed the match, threw Jericho through the glass chamber wall. I wonder how in Heaven's name they all found out about my dad being in the WWE. Fox probably ran his big mouth again. Anyway, I had my first date with Marie last night. We had pizza, watched a movie, and saw the sun set in the park. Nothing went wrong, thank God. But for some reason, Fox and Todd wiped a lot of sweat from their brows when I got back. I'll have to ask them what happened with those two during my date. Man, having a girlfriend ain't gonna be easy. Anyway, something weird happened to me after the match. I got a strange feeling that I was being watched, and that something bad is going to happen. I also have a feeling that the X-Men and the Brotherhood are going to be in the center of it all.  
  
--Jake "Dragon" Wildfire ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------  
  
In another dimension's Earth, a great war raged. A kindly prince battled to retake his throne from the clutches of an evil power-hungry tyrant. This world was a unique one, a world where medieval and modern shared space, a world where science and sorcery co-existed. In the largest city on this Earth, the skyscrapers and streets were pitted with signs of intense fighting. The dirt and pavement roads were scarred, entire buildings were pitted and crumbling. The castle in the center was pitch black with darkness, and it towered above even the tallest standing structure in the city. The sky was dark blue, with streaks of purple, red, and orange.  
  
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!" A voice cackled darkly from the throne room. The source was a huge figure sitting in the throne. He was around seven foot six, and his body indicated that he was a very experienced fighter. He had a very sleek form. He wore black armor with golden trim, complemented by a black cape. The chest plate had a golden dragon emblazoned on it. However, the most unusual thing about this man was that he was not a man. His skin was covered in black scales. His eyes were glowing bright red with malice. His face wasn't flat like a human's. He had a muzzle much like a dinosaur, only sleek. His long blue hair was neatly put back into a ponytail. His most unusual feature was his wings, bat-like in nature, were folded up on his back. This man was not a man, but a creature long in legend. He was a dragon. His golden throne was ornamented heavily, with purple velour on the seat and back. The throne room was huge, with a large red carpet. Robotic guards were posted to the sides and beautiful golden doors. The castle also had some futuristic element to it thanks to a huge computer in the wall. The doors opened, and a purple dragon, a female, walked in. She was ornamented in a black bodysuit with matching high-heel boots, and purple sparkling robes. Her purple hair was in cornrows, and she wore an ornate headdress. She bowed to the black dragon.  
  
"My Lord Tyrannis." She said humbly.  
  
"Rise, sorceress." The black dragon commanded. She stood up. "I have done it, I have taken what is rightfully mine. The Dragon Kingdom throne. For years I have wanted this throne." Tyrannis had a smile on his face. "Prince Rancor and the rest of his family were fools. They didn't realize what kind of power this throne entailed, and they believed in ruling by love, honor, and fairness." The Dragon Tyrant scoffed. "Rancor was weak, and so were his parents. I really did enjoy slaughtering them in front of him."  
  
"Rancor was indeed a fool." The sorceress replied.  
  
"Indeed he was." Tyrannis stood up and stared at the sorceress. "The legend."  
  
"What about it, my lord?"  
  
"The legend says that when this Kingdom falls under the darkest of evil, a Chosen One will rise from another world, and restore light to the throne."  
  
"The legend also states that the Chosen One will have the looks of a human, but the power of a dragon." The sorceress smirked. "I believe I have found him." Tyrannis scoffed.  
  
"Show me this 'Chosen One'" He smirked. The sorceress waved her hand, and a picture appeared. "The one with the red hair." Tyrannis stared at the moving picture. It showed Jake Wildfire watching Survivor Series alongside Foxfire, Avalanche, Blob, Toad, and Quicksilver. Tyrannis started laughing. "That CHILD?!?! How does Prince Rancor expect me to be defeated by a mere child? A human child? BAH!! Humans are so weak, do you agree, Scarpena?" The Dragon Tyrant asked the sorceress.  
  
"They are weak compared to dragons, my lord. However, some humans have been born with extra abilities. They are called 'mutants'. The Chosen One does happen to be a mutant." Scarpena replied. "The only way to rule the Kingdom completely is to kill Rancor and the Chosen One, as well as obtain Rancor's half of the amulet." The amulet Scarpena was referring to was known as the Amulet of the Gods, an amulet that would grant its wearer nearly godlike power. The amulet was split in two to prevent anyone from using its power for evil purposes. When Tyrannis, the Dragon Warlord took over the throne, Prince Rancor took one half of the amulet with him upon fleeing. The Dragon Warlord looked at his half of the amulet. It was gold, in a semi-circular shape, and the rounded part of the outside was silver, with ancient writing engraved on it. Tyrannis noted the ruby, sapphire, and emerald in the center, aligned in a semi-circle like the amulet itself. The ruby, sapphire, and emerald respectively represented the dragon gods of fire, water, and earth.  
  
"I must have the other half of the amulet." The black dragon growled. "That fool Rancor carries it. He and his Resistance has been a thorn in my side for the longest time. This Chosen One business also bothers me. I only seek what is rightfully mine, absolute power."  
  
"Why not just kill them, my lord?" Scarpena asked. Tyrannis glared, but decided to answer her question anyway.  
  
"No." He said, simply. "Killing Prince Rancor would only make him a martyr. He is a symbol of the people's hope for freedom. It would only galvanize those who oppose me, as well as increase the number of those who oppose me. No...I must break him. I must humiliate and make him suffer in front of the people. And this Chosen One business...Ahhhh...It appears this Chosen One has no idea of his destiny at this point..." The black dragon schemed. He then whispered something into her earflap. "You know who to call..." The purple dragon smirked and bowed.  
  
"As you wish, my lord." She walked away, leaving Tyrannis to himself. He spun the throne, causing him to face a huge window in the back of the room.  
  
"Prince Rancor, you and this Chosen One, Jake Wildfire, will fall, and I will rule both worlds, yours and the human world! Humanity shall pay for exiling us to this dimension, and we will take our rightful place as rulers of Earth!" Meanwhile, back in Bayville, Rogue woke up with a huge smile on her face on Monday. She went out with Jake for the first time on Friday, and she really enjoyed being with him.  
  
"Mmmm. Ah wonder what Jake is up to." The Gothic Belle thought as she snuck into Jake's room. It had wrestling posters covering the walls, a stereo with various CD's, dressers, and above the bed, was a shelf that held a replica of the WWE Championship belt from Wrestlemania XIV. Rogue saw some red hair peek out of the blankets. Jake was snoozing. Rogue's smile became devious. She snuck in, and jumped up, bodyslamming Jake.  
  
"HEY!!! WHAT THE......?!?!?!?" Jake yelled, waking up in shock.  
  
"Morning, sugah." Marie said, tracing her finger on Jake's nose.  
  
"Oog. What a way to wake up." Jake slipped back under the covers. Storm and Kitty ran in.  
  
"What's going on here?" Storm queried sternly. Jake threw the covers off.  
  
"Like, what's up?"  
  
"Ugh." Jake whooped. "Has my room just become a tourist attraction? I think I'd better get my rear up." Dragon walked out of the room, wearing blue shorts and a Hulkster T-shirt. He floated down the stairs and went to the kitchen.  
  
"Morning, Jake-o." Fox greeted from the fridge.  
  
"Yo. Any Hot Pockets left?" Jake asked. Jason tossed him the last one. "Thanks." Jake then used his flame breath to heat it up. Afterwards, he grabbed around twelve pieces of bread and placed them four at a time in the toaster. Rogue, Kitty, and Storm came down to the table. Jake took a plate and buttered the toast. He sat down with Fox and the girls. Kitty and Storm's jaws dropped at the size of Jake's breakfast. Rogue and Jason were not surprised.  
  
"He's always been a big eater, gals."  
  
"Hey Jake. Don't eat us outta house and home." Jake looked up from his gobbling.  
  
"Mmfmm Mffmf. Mi Mffm." He tried to say. What he really meant was: "Don't worry. I won't."  
  
"Actually, for Jake, that's a light breakfast." Foxfire stated.  
  
"How much does this dragon eat?" Storm's eyes bulged.  
  
"Normally, I have around 4-5 bowls of cereal for breakfast. That normally translates to around....uh....um....18 pieces of toast." Jake said with a smile. Storm fainted. Rogue, Jason, and Kitty laughed. After breakfast, the gang went to school. Jake and Scott met up at first period.  
  
"How was your date with Rogue, Jake?"  
  
"It was sweet." Jake said dreamily as he sat at his desk.  
  
"What happened?" Scott inquired.  
  
"Well....." Jake remembered. "We had pizza, watched a really funny movie, and walked in the park. We saw the sun set, and........she kissed me." Scott's glasses nearly fell off his face in shock.  
  
"She KISSED you!?!? Jake, you know about her......uh......condition." Scott freaked.  
  
"Ah, don't worry. Her.....condition has no effect on me."  
  
"How'd you discover that you were immune to Rogue's powers?" Scott wondered.  
  
"Well...a while back, Marie and I were reading under a tree. Pietro came up and tried to force Marie to do something with him. She refused, and I twisted his wrist. She tackled him, and I held him up. Just when her bare hand was about to make contact with Quicksilver, he ducked, and she ended up touching me."  
  
"And nothing happened?"  
  
"Nothing happened."  
  
"How do you do it, Jake? I envy you, man." Scott said, shaking his head in awe. Jake shrugged smugly. After that class was over, Jake was on his way to his locker when Rogue snuck up behind him and kissed him.  
  
"Hi, Dragon." Marie said, stroking Jake's hair.  
  
"Ya nearly gave me a heart attack." Jake said. While the X-Men were at school, the Brotherhood was hanging at their house. Fred, Lance, and Tabitha watched as Pietro paced, literally wearing a hole in the floor.  
  
"Stupid Dragon...." Pietro muttered. "He stole my girl.....I'm gonna beat him into a pulp....I hate Jake....He's nothing but a doofus......I got a better dress sense....I have more style....I'm definetly more handsome.....So how come my dear Marie is smitten with that, that DOLT!!!!.......I wanna tear his head off and mount it on my wall....." Quicksilver continued to angrily mumble. The other Brotherhood kids were getting pretty annoyed.  
  
"Give it up, Quickie." Lance begged. "Rogue likes Jake, end of story."  
  
"Yeah, man. I mean, Jake could beat you in a fight." Tabby joked.  
  
"Jake knows how to fight?" Fred asked.  
  
"Of course he can, Blob! Jake's old man is a pro wrestler, remember? He's also a black belt in karate. From what I heard, he taught Dragon all the moves. Not to mention that he is really cute." Tabby quipped with a smirk.  
  
"I didn't know Blazer knew karate." Blob's eyes widened.  
  
"Y'Know, this reminds me of when Freddy here was obsessed with Jean. He felt the same way towards Scott as you do towards Jake, Quick. Maybe you two should start a support group." Lance laughed. Pietro shot Lance a death glare and Fred rolled his eyes.  
  
"I would kill you now Lance, but I hate Jake too much to care."  
  
"Pietro, JUST SHUT UP!!!!!!!" Tabby screamed. She then got up and ascended the stairs.  
  
"I'm going out." Pietro said. "Maybe I can convince my sweet Rogue of my love." Quickie ran off at top speed. Lance and Fred looked at each other.  
  
"Quickie will never win her heart. I don't even know if she has one." Lance said as Fred opened a bag of pork rinds. "I think he's bored because Daniels is on vacation."  
  
"Pork rind?" Fred asked, holding out a pork rind to Lance.  
  
"Pork rind." Lance took the pork rind.  
  
Pietro sped around town calling Marie's name. When he found Marie, he was angered. Rogue was riding in Jake's truck. The truck sped by.  
  
"That little piece of....." Pietro muttered, running after the red pickup. He ran alongside the truck, yelling at Jake. "Hey!!! HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"Aw God, Jake....Pietro's at it again." Rogue grimaced.  
  
"Might as well stop." Jake sighed. He hit the brakes. Pietro kept his eyes on Dragon, but the sudden stop of the truck caused the speedster to keep on running until he hit a lamppost. Jake winced when he saw the impact. "That had to hurt." Jake and Marie walked out of the truck. Rogue then walked up to Quicksilver and grabbed him by the collar. She wanted to tear Pietro apart. She raised a fist into the air.  
  
"Hey baby." Pietro said.  
  
"Don't you 'hey baby' me, ya little dork! Ah wanna know right now why in the name of heaven you were yelling at Jake. If ya don't tell me now, Ah'll beat you within an inch of your miserable perverted life! Ah've touched you, and Ah'm well aware of those sick fantasies of yours about me, unfortunately." Rogue threatened.  
  
"Now calm down, Marie....." Jake said, trying to calm the southern firecracker down. Rogue gave Jake a death glare and he backed off.  
  
"Marie, I'm begging you." Quicksilver pleaded. "Why do you not acknowledge my love for you? Why do you love Jake? I'm better than him in every way. What is it about that...that...dumb dragon you love so much?"  
  
"Hey!" Jake yelled.  
  
"Ya wanna know why Ah love Jake and not you, Quickie? It's obvious. You are a loudmouthed egomaniac who cares more about how he looks than others. However, Jake is sweet, caring, and he'd take on Magneto himself if he insulted me. Plus...Mah powers have no effect upon him. Ah can touch him without any side effects. Ah knew at that moment that Jake was the one for me." Marie explained. She let go of Quicksilver. Pietro drooped his head in disbelief.  
  
"Pietro, I'm sure there's someone out there who likes you, man." Jake said, trying to console him.  
  
"SHUT UP, YOU WOMAN-STEALER!!!!!!" Pietro yelled. He got up, and struck Jake in the face.  
  
"PIETRO!!" Rogue yelled angrily. She couldn't believe it. Pietro blamed Jake for Rogue not liking him. Jake got up to his feet. He stared at Pietro, balling up his fist.  
  
"Oh, no..." Marie thought. "Mah Jake's always been slow to anger, but Ah think Quick's done it now. He's pushed Jake to the breaking point." Jake, out of nowhere, whacked Pietro back with a fist that moved with speed that rivaled Pietro. Dragon then grabbed Quicksilver and scoop-slammed him into the sidewalk! Jake then was about to stomp Pietro when....  
  
"Jake!!!" Marie yelled, grabbing Dragon. "Please! He's had enough! C'mon Jake, let's go." Rogue pleaded. Jake turned, and his face was apologetic. He drooped his head.  
  
"I'm sorry you had to see that, Marie."  
  
"Jake, wait..." Marie pleaded. Jake walked away to the truck. He sat in the driver's seat, with his head on the wheel. Rogue followed Jake there.  
  
"Jake..."  
  
"Marie, please. I'm sorry. My temper got the best of me." Jake apologized. Marie stroked Jake's bright red hair.  
  
"Jake, it wasn't your fault. Pietro can get under anyone's skin. He's asked for it for a long time." She thought for a moment. "Ah know!" She smiled. "How about we get some ice cream?" Jake looked up. He saw Pietro get up, with a hand on his back. He then laughed.  
  
"OK." Jake said. He turned the ignition. "It's just that whenever I get mad, I just want to tear something apart. Especially if someone insulted or harmed someone I care about." He moped.  
  
"Jake...stop the truck." Rogue ordered. Jake stopped the truck. She then grabbed Jake and gave him a passionate kiss. When they broke, she gave a smile. "Feeling better?"  
  
"Yeah. Let's get some ice cream." Jake happily said. Rogue and Dragon went, but Marie basically stared at Jake with her mouth wide open as he came back with his sundae. It was as tall as a skyscraper!  
  
"Ah'll never get used to Jake's eating." Marie sighed. The mutants went back to the Institute.  
  
"What do you wanna do now, Dragon?" Marie smirked.  
  
"Uhhhh.....well....uh....umm....I...uhh...have...some tapes of past Wrestlemanias." Jake offered.  
  
"Any with your old man?" Rogue asked.  
  
"I do have one of Survivor Series 1993. My dad is in that one."  
  
"How long has your father wrestled?" Marie wondered.  
  
"Well, he started in 1974. He became a big hit in the NWA, and he soon main evented. He took on the likes of Flair and Steamboat. He won the NWA title three times, and he won the NWA Tag titles twice. He also held the NWA North American Championship twice. When 1984 rolled around, my father signed a contract with the WWF. He made his debut in February of that year. He participated in the first Wrestlemania, defeating Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. In 1988, My old man entered the first Royal Rumble at number 16. 'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan eliminated him to win. My dad would be involved in the first eight Rumble matches. In 1986, my father defeated Hulk Hogan, winning his first WWF Championship. He lost it to Randy Savage 6 months later. My dad won his second WWF title in 1993, beating Bret Hart. My dad and Bret became good friends ever since. He was champ for 7 months. In 1995, Dad walked to the ring on RAW, and announced his retirement. There was not a dry eye there. Fans were screaming for Dad to not retire, and the guys in the back...they all wanted Dad to stay." Jake recalled. "I remember Shawn Michaels literally begging on his knees, pleading Dad not to retire." Jake smiled when the memory played back in his head. "They loved him. He was a great presence in the locker room."  
  
"HBK, begging? Gawd, Ah wish Ah was there to see that." Rogue laughed.  
  
"Yeah. It was pretty funny." Jake added. "Oh Geez, I just remembered. Shawn threatened to beat the you-know-what outta me if I told anyone." Jake slapped his head.  
  
"Relax, Dragon." Rogue said, wrapping her arms around Jake's neck. "Ah can keep a secret." She then kissed him. Jake broke the kiss when he heard snickering. "What's wrong, goof?"  
  
"I heard something." Jake said. He looked around until he saw the reflection of a camera lens. "That snickering.....FOXFIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Jake yelled.  
  
"Aw Man!" Jason laughed. "I nearly got the tape of the century!" Foxy moaned, pointing to his camera.  
  
"Gimme the tape, and Ah won't kill you." Rogue scowled. Jason held up the tape and shook his head. "Gimme the tape, Fox."  
  
"Nuh-uh...HEY!!!" Jake tackled Jason from behind and wrestled the tape out of Fox's grasp. Jake pitched the tape to Marie, who flipped Jason off in victory.  
  
"Marie, you are such a flirt." Jason suavely said.  
  
"Moron." She replied. Just then, Kurt, Jean and Scott ran in.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"X-Pervert was trying to intrude upon me and Jake." Rogue said, pointing to Jason.  
  
"Foxy, you are a very seeck man." Kurt said.  
  
"Don't. Call. Me. Foxy." Jason warned.  
  
"Jeez, Fox. Do you ever quit?" Jean asked.  
  
"You wish, little mama." Jason said, stroking Jean's hair and smirking. Jean backed off and Scott stared angrily at Jason. "Give it up, Laserface. You are too young and too stupid for a woman."  
  
"Kiss my..." Scott started.  
  
"Anyvay, Jake..." Nightcrawler interrupted, glaring at the wrestler. "So...Vhat vere you and my sister doing..." Jake blushed.  
  
"NOTHING!!!!" Jake yelled quickly. Rogue laughed.  
  
"Since when did you become the big overprotective brother, Kurt?" Rogue sighed.  
  
"Vell, you never know vhat zis guy will try..." Kurt continued glaring.  
  
"Kurt, Kurt, Kurt..." Jean sighed. "Jake isn't like that. I can sense that." Scott nodded in agreement.  
  
"Jake is too innocent for his own good, in my honest opinion." Fox snorted. "If I were him, I'd try to...well, you know."  
  
"I'm not you, thank God." Jake sighed. "Unlike you, I have a little class."  
  
"Uh huh." Fox shook his head sadly. "That's why you'll never get any."  
  
"Look who's talking." Scott smirked.  
  
"You're a fruitcake!" Fox spat.  
  
"Here we go again." Jake groaned. "Guys..."  
  
"Let 'em go at it." Rogue held Jake's shoulder. Jean and Kurt sighed. Once again, it was war between Foxfire and Cyclops.  
  
"You were born trying to peek up the maternity nurse's skirt!" Scott snapped.  
  
"You were born with a stick up your butt, and you still haven't gotten it out!" Fox quipped back.  
  
"You think the whole world revolves around you, you egomaniac!"  
  
"I AM the center of the universe, you retarded monkey!"  
  
"At least I can keep my pants on when a woman is around!"  
  
"At least I can control my powers!" Rogue punched Fox in the face.  
  
"And you wanted me to stay out of it." Jake raised his eyebrows. Rogue just shrugged her shoulders. Scott leapt on top of Foxfire and the two of them went at it, throwing punches and curses at each other.  
  
"Aw man..." Jake groaned, watching the fight. "Can't we all just get along?"  
  
Will Foxfire and Cyclops ever get along? Will Kurt ever trust Jake around his half-sister? Will I stop asking these dumb questions? Find out on Genesis of a Dragon, pt.8! 


	8. Chapter 8

X-Men Evolution: Genesis of a Dragon pt. 8  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------  
  
Dear Journal,  
  
Another day, another dollar. If that phrase was true, I'd be rich. Very rich. Anyway, I told Scott Summers about my first date with Rogue before Survivor Series. Man, the poor guy was looking for his jaw when he heard that she kissed me. I don't think he found out about my immunity to her powers yet (Speaking of Scotty, he and Foxy had a fight again. I worry about those two, especially Jason with his big ego.). I've been trying my best to figure it out. Why is it that if she touches anybody else, she absorbs their life force, memories, and abilities, but when she touches me, nothing happens? Is it an aspect of my mutation? Do I cause her powers to shut off in some manner when she does touch me? I come up with a blank. Mr. McCoy can't figure it out either. Speaking of me and Rogue, Kurt has become very wary of me, playing the protective half-brother all of a sudden. I know that Kurt is just trying to watch Rogue's back, but it is a little annoying to be perfectly honest. I'm not the type that...well...is very Foxfire-like, a huge pervert. Mom said I got it from Dad, yet another of his qualities I get, besides his hair, mug, and love for wrestling. I haven't heard much from Pietro. Lance, Todd, and Freddy told me that he could be up to something. I dunno why, but I think of those three as brothers, as well as some of the X-Men, although I haven't really gotten to know them all.  
  
--Jake "Dragon" Wildfire ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------  
  
Jake was sitting in the common room of the Institute, watching a tape of the 1993 Royal Rumble. He had been in the wrestling ring he built, practicing his moves. He looked down at the training uniform that he made. He wore a black bodysuit with long red wrestling tights over them. On each leg was a red dragon. He added yellow kneepads and boots. He also had gold bands with red centers around his upper arms. His costume had no "X" shields on the shoulders, indicating his neutrality. He only wore the costume to train. Rogue sat down on the couch next to him, towel around her neck, and in her uniform.  
  
"Logan training again?" Jake's eyes didn't leave the match. He was watching Shawn Michaels and Marty Janetty battle it out for the Intercontinental Championship.  
  
"Yeah, sugah." Rogue panted, dabbing the towel on her face. She then looked at the match. "Who are those guys?"  
  
"Shawn Michaels and Marty Janetty." Jake said. "They used to be a tag team called the Rockers. They were high-fliers, and one of the best teams of the early 90s. The storyline for this 1993 match goes that they had a falling out. The team broke up, and Shawn gave Marty the Sweet Chin Music through a barber shop window. The window was part of a set of an interview segment at the time."  
  
"Sweet Chin Music?"  
  
"Shawn's finishing move." Jake smiled. "One of my favorites. Before he does it, he grabs the turnbuckle, and starts tapping his foot on the ground. That's known as "Tuning up the Band". The Music itself is a superkick." The Boston mutant explained.  
  
"Can you do it?"  
  
"Yeah." Jake blushed shyly as Rogue scooted closer.  
  
"Could you show me how?"  
  
"Uh...maybe." Jake nervously scratched his head. "I don't think you are ready to learn that yet." He blushed. "And my chops aren't ready to take it." The wrestler added mentally. As he and Rogue watched the match, in the Dragon Kingdom, the dragon tyrant known as Tyrannis looked over a group of four rather scruffy creatures who were bowing before him in his throne room.  
  
"You four have never failed me." Tyrannis remembered, standing up. "I have a mission of the utmost importance. I trust that Scarpena told you about who you will eliminate this time." The leader, a dragon, spoke up. He was around 5'6", and his green scales shone in the light. His left eye was green, and his right eye was a cybernetic sensor. His wings were slightly gnarled. He wore a short-sleeved gray shirt with a silver scratched and dented chest plate over it, and cloth gray pants. His arms were toned, but sinewy, and his left hand was replaced by a metal claw. His brown hair was in a crew cut. His voice had a nasal, but gruff tone to it.  
  
"Forgive me my lord, but we have better things to do than chase after a human teenager."  
  
"You have heard the legend of the Chosen One, am I not right, Bladus?" Tyrannis asked the green dragon.  
  
"All dragons know the legend, my lord..." Bladus replied. "You believe that this human is the Chosen One?!?!" The other three warriors looked up in shock.  
  
"Yes Bladus, I do. Which is why he must be eliminated now. If he becomes aware of his true destiny, he will use his power against me." Another dragon, around 5'5", a blue-scaled, black-haired, brown-eyed, rather sleek but muscular female dragon dressed like a cross between Mad Max and Xena, spoke up in a dangerous voice.  
  
"Bladus, this mission is sickeningly simple. I wish we had more of a challenge."  
  
"I know my dear Fadora, but if he is the Chosen One, he should prove to be a very nice challenge. After all, the legend says that he is a great warrior." Bladus smirked. "And we all know you love a good challenge." Fadora sighed.  
  
"I hope so." She stood up and crossed her arms. "I don't like wasting my time on weaklings."  
  
"You two and your dragon legends! I think this Chosen One legend is ridiculous!" A purple-furred ape-like creature snapped. His face and hands were blue. He wore a silver chestplate, and a brown loincloth. His right wrist had a laser gun mounted on it, a sword was on his back, and he carried a golden shield on his left arm. His muscular 6'2" body had some scars, indicating he had been in many a fight. "You are insane if you believe humans, as you call them, can possess such powers."  
  
"I warn you, Krodor." Bladus turned to the ape-creature. "We've noticed some humans have been born with special abilities. They have been referred to as 'mutants'. Some of these mutants have very powerful gifts."  
  
"Indeed, Bladus." A green, yellow, and red parrot-like warrior standing at 5'11" nodded his head, licking his beak. Unlike the dragons, his arms and wings were one and the same. His beak was lined with a yellow gold-like metal, and his feet were clad in boots that made room for his talons to go free. His loincloth and breastplate were blue, with purple slash marks painted on it. He had a pair of laser pistols in holsters on his sides. He also had a display device mounted over his right eye. His voice was a cross between stereotypical parrot and Jamaican accent. "Scarpena told me that she has been watching these 'mutants' for quite some time. In fact, she believes that the Chosen One is a mutant. In this place known as 'Bayville', where the Chosen One is located, there are a whole mess of them. For example, one has healing powers and metal claws, another has..."  
  
"Enough, Praktor!" Tyrannis silenced the bird warrior. "It seems obvious to me that the Chosen One has powerful allies. That means you will have to use stealth." Tyrannis then ran his clawed fingers through his blue hair, and thought for a second. "One thing still puzzles me, though..."  
  
"Yes, my lord?" Bladus asked.  
  
"Things have been pretty quiet from Rancor's position. What could he be doing?"  
  
"He could be amassing his resources, preparing for one huge strike." Fadora contributed.  
  
"No...He knows his small band of warriors could never breach my defenses." Tyrannis reasoned. "He might be..." A thought sparked into his head. "Could he...He's probably trying to get to the human world and meet the Chosen One!" The dragon tyrant then turned to the band of four warriors standing before him. "You must eliminate the Chosen One now! Go to the human world and destroy him! And if his prophets are there with him, destroy them as well!"  
  
"Prophets?" Krodor wondered.  
  
"Yes. The legends state that the Chosen One possesses three Prophets. These three chosen people guide and help protect the Chosen One. These three were chosen by fate to guide, aid and protect the Chosen One in his time of need."  
  
"Twists and turns. Gotta love 'em." Krodor wisecracked.  
  
"Go! NOW!!!" Tyrannis ordered impatiently. The warriors bowed and left. Meanwhile, Jake, Rogue, Lance, Toad, Fox, and Kitty were eating together at the cafeteria, talking like a bunch of old friends.  
  
"Hey Dragon, you haven't said much, yo. Going back into your shyness shell?" Toad smirked. Jake was pretty quiet during the whole thing, even more than usual.  
  
"I got you some soda, Kitty." Lance handed Kitty a soda.  
  
"Like, thanks." Kitty took it.  
  
"Jake...Hello..." Fox waved his hand in front of Jake's face. Jake looked like he was in a trance.  
  
"You okay, Jake?" Rogue looked over at the red-haired wrestler. Jake snapped out of his trance.  
  
"Huh? Oh, sorry." Jake sat up.  
  
"You like, zoned out, Wildfire." Kitty reminded him.  
  
"What happened?" Lance quizzed. Everyone looked at Dragon, making him feel a little uncomfortable.  
  
"Well, it's kind of embarrassing." Jake blushed.  
  
"Yo, Lance and I know a guy who wore makeup a couple times for God's sake!" Toad pointed at a sulking Pietro. "What've YOU got to be embarrassed about?"  
  
"I had a very weird dream last night." Jake sighed.  
  
"Jake, it is normal for someone to dream about their girlfriend naked." Fox quipped. Jake, Toad, Rogue and Lance slapped the Detroit native upside the head.  
  
"Not that." Jake simply sighed.  
  
"But you wish, right?" Foxfire ended up with a lunch tray to the face thanks to Kitty. "OW!"  
  
"No. It went kinda like this: I was flying in this void. Black all around me. Suddenly, I saw...Armageddon."  
  
"Armageddon?" Rogue asked.  
  
"Yeah!" Toad piped up.  
  
"Not the next Pay-Per-View, Todd. I saw buildings burning, people running away, volcanoes exploding, natural disasters, Wrath of God-type stuff. It was scarier than Mae Young at the 2000 Royal Rumble."  
  
"Nice job, Jake! You had to remind me of the 2000 Rumble, huh?" Jason snapped. "OW!!" This time, Toad gave him the tray to the head.  
  
"Thank you. Anyway, at the center of this HUUUGE pile of rubble and debris, there was...a blob with wings."  
  
"Are you saying you dreamed that Freddy grew wings and caused the end of the world?" Fox quipped. Rogue held up her fist. "OK! OK! I'll shut up."  
  
"When I took a closer look, the blob turned out to be a big black dragon, around seven feet. He turned to me, and all I saw was these burning red eyes. Suddenly, a voice came to me. Very gruff, yet melodic. It said, "You are the only one that can prevent this, Chosen One. You are the only one that can spare two worlds from this fate." Then, I woke up."  
  
"That's some dream, Dragon." Lance shook his head. "Maybe you read too many fantasy books."  
  
"That sounds so totally 'Dungeons and Dragons' to me." Kitty looked at Toad.  
  
"Don't ask me, yo." Toad held up his hands. "I'm no dream expert."  
  
"You're no anything expert." Fox laughed. "God, I am as funny as I am good- looking!" Fox then pulled a mirror out of his jacket and looked in it. "Man, I am one handsome devil."  
  
"Your comedy sucks, Foxy." Toad grumbled loudly enough for everyone to hear. Avalanche, Shadowcat, Rogue, and Dragon got a good laugh from it. Foxfire shot him a glare.  
  
"Don't. Call. Me. Foxy." Foxfire growled. Unbeknownst to the six mutants, Krodor and Praktor were just outside the school, watching them through the window.  
  
"The one with the bright red hair." Praktor pointed out.  
  
"Scarpena told me! I'm not stupid!" Krodor snapped. "Let's get him now!"  
  
"Wait!" Praktor grabbed the ape-creature's shoulder and pointed to the display device over his eye. "My reader is picking up mutants all over the place. If we attack him now, they will use any abilities they have against us. We must wait."  
  
"I grow tired of waiting!" Krodor warned. "I am a warrior, Beakface! Not a rock!"  
  
"If we wait a little longer, we might find out where we can ambush him." Praktor offered. "We can gather Bladus and Fadora, then attack him then." The ape warrior mulled over the parrot-like creature's statement for a minute.  
  
"Fine. But if we don't find a chance, I'm going in now." Krodor warned. "That is a promise."  
  
"Whatever." Praktor shrugged off the remark. They continued listening to the X-Men and Brotherhood members conversing.  
  
"What do you guys plan to do tonight?" Jake wondered.  
  
"Me, I'm gonna hit the town and get me some girls." Fox cheered.  
  
"You like, mean, stay at the mansion and sit in front of the TV?" Kitty corrected. Fox glared at her through his trademark red shades.  
  
"What Lance sees in you, I'll never comprehend."  
  
"Speaking of Kitty, I plan to take her to the new place in town, that 50's- style malt shop." Lance interjected.  
  
"Like, that's so great Lance!" Kitty hugged her on-again, off-again boyfriend.  
  
"Hmm. That place does have good food there. Hey, how about we make it a double date?" Jake suggested. Rogue looked at him in shock.  
  
"Are you high?" She asked the Boston native. "Ah am not going out with Lance and Kitty in any double date, Dragon. Forget it!"  
  
"Aw c'mon Marie, it'll be fun." Jake tried to convince her.  
  
"No way, Dragon. Ah like you sugah, but Ah'm not going out on any double date."  
  
"Why, afraid Lance will try something?" Fox grinned. Rogue punched him in the face. "OW!!" Kitty stomped his foot. "OW!!!" Lance gave him a hard whap upside the head. "OWW!!!"  
  
"No Ah am not, Foxfire!" The southerner snapped.  
  
"Look Rogue, just give it a try." Jake pleaded. Rogue looked up at him and sighed.  
  
"Fine." She grumbled. "But you owe me big time, Jake."  
  
"Wow, Dragon. Way to work the Boston charm." Toad laughed. Fox looked up at the clock.  
  
"Hey girls, lunch is almost over." Fox reminded. "I got History next. God, I hate History. Who cares about a bunch of old stuff and dead people?" Foxfire grumbled.  
  
"So, 8:00 ok?" Jake asked.  
  
"I don't care." Lance shrugged.  
  
"Me neither." Rogue said.  
  
"Ok." Kitty smiled.  
  
"What's a malt shop?" Krodor turned to Praktor. "You're the genius, you tell me."  
  
"How should I know? I've never heard of a malt shop until now. Humans are strange creatures indeed." Praktor shrugged his feathered shoulders. "They called this ritual a 'double date'. That means only four of those humans will be there." Praktor turned on the DNA reader in his head-mounted display device. "Krodor, the four humans who are undergoing the ritual. They are mutants!"  
  
"What can they do?" Krodor peeked up at them.  
  
"The one in the pink garment and brown hair can phase her body out of the same plane as normal matter."  
  
"Speak normal, Beakface!"  
  
"She can pass through things like walls. The one with the long brown hair is an earthmover. He can bend the earth to his will, but it appears he hasn't fully explored his powers. At his current level, he can create earthquakes. The one with the two-colored hair has...my goodness..." Praktor laughed quietly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"She has the abilities of a soulsucker."  
  
"You mean those creatures that feed on life force?" Krodor remembered. "I heard that they can take on the talents of those they feed on."  
  
"True, she can do that. However, the effect is temporary, and it appears she has no means of controlling it."  
  
"Great." Krodor sighed. "So, when is 8:00?"  
  
"What does that have to do with anything?"  
  
"You stupid bird! 8:00 is when they said they will undergo the 'double date' ritual!" Krodor snapped.  
  
"Oh yeah." Praktor thought for a moment. "I don't know." Krodor raised his powerful fist to strike the parrot-like creature when he heard a ringing in his ear. He then backed off and the powerful ape put his hand to his ear.  
  
"Yeah, Bladus?" Krodor asked.  
  
"Did you find him?" The green dragon's voice could be heard from the hidden device.  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Krodor sighed. "Praktor and I found him. He and three other mutants are engaging in a ritual called a 'double date'."  
  
"I am aware of that ritual." Bladus remembered. "Where is this 'double date' being held and when?"  
  
"At a place called a malt shop. At the time of 8:00."  
  
"Ahh." Bladus responded. "Well, meet me and Fadora at the park. We will plan our strategy there." Bladus ordered, terminating the connection.  
  
"Let's get outta here." Praktor grumbled. "I can't stand being around these humans." The parrot-like creature remembered listening to the conversations of the Bayville students. "They drone on about the most meaningless things."  
  
"They are teenagers, Beakface." Krodor quipped. The ape and parrot-like beasts got up from their hiding spots, and expertly sneaked out of the school. However, they didn't realize that Principal Kelly saw the two as they passed his office window.  
  
"I never took drugs, so why did I just see a blue ape and a parrot? I'm losin' it, I'm losin' it..." Kelly banged his head on his desk. "Oh God, I'm going crazy. Teachers turning into monsters, freak accidents, and now apes and parrots!" He grabbed his jacket and walked out of the office. A teacher saw him leave.  
  
"Where are you going?" The teacher asked him.  
  
"To the nearest mental hospital." Kelly sighed. In another hallway, Pietro caught up with Todd and Lance.  
  
"I see you guys are getting comfy with the newest X-Geek." Pietro growled.  
  
"Jake is not an X-Geek." Lance sighed.  
  
"Yeah, he's neutral." Todd explained. "The only reason why he hangs out with them is to train his powers. You should get to know him better, yo."  
  
"Yeah, Pietro. Jake's pretty cool. Did you know that he knows Hulk Hogan?" Lance agreed.  
  
"I don't care if he knows Jennifer freakin' Lopez!" Pietro yelled. "I hate that lousy good-for-nothing dragon!"  
  
"Man Pietro, first you hate Daniels, then you hate Fox, now you hate Jake." Todd grumbled.  
  
"Toad has a point, Quicksilver." Lance admitted. "You have a lot of enemies here." Avalanche rolled his eyes.  
  
"That stupid scaly wrestler thinks he can get away with his insult towards me!" Pietro grumbled angrily. "He thinks he's so cool. What's Jake got that I don't have?"  
  
"He's got looks." Toad answered.  
  
"He's an heir to a pro wrestling dynasty." Lance added.  
  
"No inflated ego." Toad quipped. "Women like guys without ego problems."  
  
"Besides, Pietro. You said it yourself so many times: You can get any girl you want." Lance groaned.  
  
"But I want Rogue..." Pietro whined.  
  
"Too bad, Maximoff!" Toad had had enough. "Y'know, I'm really surprised that after all the stuff you put Jake through, he still simply shrugs it off! If I were him, I would've beaten you within an inch of your life!"  
  
"Yeah, Pietro." Lance agreed. "How does he do it? He simply puts up with you. I even heard Rogue suggest that Jake give you a broken jaw."  
  
"He nearly did." Toad remembered. "Jake told me. He had gotten so sick and tired of Quickie's antics that he punched Pietro right in the face, and he scoop-slammed him into the sidewalk!"  
  
"Aw man, I wish I was there to see it!" Lance laughed. Pietro was none to happy to hear that remark.  
  
"That's not funny, Lance! I thought he broke my back!" The speedster complained. "That dragon thinks he's so great. He don't know who he's messing with!" He opened his eyes after his grumbling, and he noticed Lance and Todd were gone.  
  
"Guys..." Quicksilver looked around. "Great! I pour my heart out to those clowns and they disappear on me!" He ran after them, avoiding using his speed. He ended up running into Dragon.  
  
"Hey Pietro."  
  
"Don't you even think of 'Hey Pietro'-ing me, Wildfire!" The speedster snapped. "You will not get away with this, Dragon! Rogue is mine, and I will win her heart!"  
  
"A little late, aren't you?" Dragon sighed. "Give it up, and get over it." Jake walked off, leaving the Brotherhood's resident egomaniac to stew in his anger and jealousy. To make things worse for him, Jason Fox passed by.  
  
"Hey fruity." Fox laughed. "What's the matter, little girl? Upset because your secret crush doesn't like you?" An angry Pietro screamed and threw a punch at the Detroit native. Foxfire and Quicksilver started brawling, throwing themselves through a window with a CRASH!! After the brawl, both Quicksilver and Foxfire had to stay in detention. Meanwhile, later that night, Lance, Kitty, Rogue, and Jake arrived at the malt shop. True to Lance's description, the place looked like it was plucked straight from the 1950's, with black-and-white checkerboard tile floors, blue and pink counters, and a small jukebox on every table. Jake and Rogue sat on one side of a booth, while Lance and Kitty were on the other side. Rogue simply sat there with arms crossed and eyes closed, Lance and Kitty read from their menus, while Jake was playing with the table jukebox.  
  
"Hey, you guys wanna hear some Buddy Holly?" Jake asked. Lance nodded indifferently, Kitty nodded and Rogue said nothing. Jake sighed at the sight. "C'mon, Marie. You've said very little. Buck up! This place is really neat. My dad used to go to places like this all the time as a teen. Just like in Happy Days."  
  
"Only we don't have the Fonz." Rogue grumbled.  
  
"I think she's, like, still a little miffed about the whole double date thing." Kitty reasoned.  
  
"Ah just wanna spend some time alone with Jake."  
  
"Next time it'll be just you and me." Jake promised. Marie let out a sigh.  
  
"It'd better be, Jake. Ah'll have to hurt you if that doesn't happen." Lance looked up from his menu.  
  
"Why'd you want to be alone with Jake?" The earth-moving mutant asked. Rogue blushed.  
  
"Ah just do, okay?" Jake started blushing. The conversation was interrupted by a blond waitress who rolled to the table on roller skates, wearing a 50- style waitress outfit.  
  
"What can I get you all?" She asked sweetly, pulling out a pad and pencil.  
  
"Like, a potato salad and a Sprite, please." Kitty ordered.  
  
"Give me a large Diet Coke, and a burger and fries." Lance put down his menu.  
  
"Fruit salad and a vanilla shake." Rogue simply said.  
  
"Uhh." Jake thought for a second. "I'll have uh...uh...ten burgers...ten fries...uh...a large chocolate shake, and for dessert, I'll have the Ultra Sundae Special." The waitress's eyes bulged as Jake made his order. Rogue shook her head, Lance looked like he was about to have a heart attack, and Kitty's jaw unhinged.  
  
"We gotta talk about your appetite, Jake." Rogue sighed.  
  
"Like, Jake, are you totally serious you're going to eat all that?" Kitty sighed.  
  
"Yeah." Jake looked at the wildly disbelieving faces in a puzzled manner. "I've always had a big appetite."  
  
"You must have incredible metabolism, Jake." Kitty reasoned. "You have Blob's appetite, but you don't have his weight, not to mention you keep thin."  
  
"I've always had a big appetite, Kitty. Plus, I've always have been rather slim."  
  
"Ah say you're rather sleek, like an airplane." Rogue reasoned. "Have you noticed that Jake can fly? Maybe that's why he's so thin, to be aerodynamic."  
  
"Yeah, must be." Lance agreed. "You're paying for your food, Wildfire."  
  
"Cool with me." Jake made sure he had his wallet. "I have more than enough." A few minutes later, the four mutants' grub arrived, and they dug in. Soon after, Jake's sundae arrived.  
  
"Want some?" Jake motioned to Rogue. She looked over the huge pile of ice cream.  
  
"Uh...no thanks, Jake. Ah'm tryin' to watch mah figure." Jake was confused.  
  
"You look fine to me." Jake scratched his head.  
  
"Ah don't want any ice cream, Jake." Rogue repeated. She then glared at the snickering Kitty and Lance. Jake quickly ate the whole thing, not noticing Lance, Kitty and Rogue, and all the diner's patrons watching with wide eyes. He then looked around.  
  
"Y'know, it's kind of unnerving and rude to watch someone eat a sundae." Jake said out loud.  
  
"Check...Please." Lance managed to mumble. The four teens then paid for the food, they left the diner and were on their way home in Jake's truck. Suddenly, Krodor jumped out of nowhere and landed on the hood.  
  
"AHHHHHHH!!!!" The mutants screamed. Jake swerved, causing the ape-like warrior to jump off the hood. Krodor did three backward flips, and landed on his feet, pulling his sword out of the scabbard tied on his back. He jumped in the bushes and waited to strike. The four mutants jumped out of the truck.  
  
"What was THAT?!?" Lance yelled.  
  
"It looked like a blue gorilla!" Kitty squeaked in fright.  
  
"Probably some clown in a costume." Jake reasoned.  
  
"Looked like a reject from Lord of the Rings." Rogue tried to joke.  
  
"YAHHH!!!" Krodor leapt out of the bushes, sword over his head.  
  
"AHHH!!!" The mutants, got out of the way, and Krodor slashed Jake's truck.  
  
"Hey! I just waxed!" Jake cried out. Krodor snarled and turned to Jake. He smirked.  
  
"So long, Chosen One." He aimed his laser at Dragon, but Avalanche created an earthquake, causing him to fall on his behind. "Who threw that?!?!"  
  
"I did, you overgrown chimp!" Lance snarled. "Let's rock, monkey-boy!" Avalanche created another earthquake. Krodor jumped, dodging the crack in the earth. "Wha--?"  
  
"Nice try, human." Krodor snarled. "If I must kill you, I must kill you. The Chosen One must die."  
  
"Lance, be careful!" Kitty yelled.  
  
"Don't worry, I got this! OOF!!" Lance reassured loudly. But while Lance was talking to Kitty, Krodor managed to tackle Avalanche to the ground, knocking the earth-mover unconscious. Jake then blasted Krodor's face with a stream of flames from his mouth.  
  
"AAAAHH!!" Krodor screamed. Rogue then downed the ape creature with a sweep kick as he was trying to regain his sight. She then hit him in the chest with an elbow, then smacked his head into the ground, knocking him out cold.  
  
"How's that?" Rogue asked Jake.  
  
"Nice." Jake smiled. Then they were ambushed by Bladus and Fadora. Fadora knocked Rogue away with a shoulder tackle, while Bladus punched Jake hard in the jaw.  
  
"Hang on!" Kitty ran to help, but then... "AAHH!" She was caught in an energy field. Praktor had used the device over his eye to generate it.  
  
"You can phase through matter, but not through energy, mutant." Praktor grinned as best he could. Jake and Rogue were battling Bladus and Fadora.  
  
"Sorry, Chosen One." Bladus smirked. "But you must die."  
  
"Chosen One?" Jake asked. "Why did you call me that?"  
  
"You won't live to know anyway. YAHHHH!!!" Bladus charged Dragon, slashing with his claw arm. Jake dodged and grabbed his arm. "Wha--?" Calling on his wrestling knowledge, Dragon took Bladus down and trapped him in an armbar. Bladus bit Jake's foot with his sharp teeth, forcing Dragon to let go. Meanwhile, Rogue wasn't faring so well against Fadora. The southerner tried to fight the blue dragon, but Fadora was too skilled. She blocked all of Rogue's attacks, punched her hard in the stomach, then knocked her for a loop with a hard spinning kick.  
  
"Uhhh." Rogue held her head, and decided she had enough. "That's it. Ah'm taking you out!" The southerner removed her gloves.  
  
"What are you gonna do, slap me with your gloves?" Fadora mocked. Rogue smirked. "No." Rogue charged the female dragon. "Ah'm gonna show you why they call me Rogue!" She grabbed Fadora's head with her bare hands, but nothing happened. "What the?!?!"  
  
"I know about your power, soulsucker." Fadora laughed as Rogue looked down at her bare hands in shock.  
  
"How?" Rogue wondered mentally. "First, Ah discover Jake's immunity to mah powers, then this! How come Ah can't absorb her?" Rogue's train of thought was derailed by Fadora knocking her out with the hilt of her sword.  
  
"Bladus was right. I did have some fun." She mused. She looked over at Praktor, who was taunting Kitty while she was struggling to get out of the energy field she was trapped in, and at the body of the unconscious Avalanche. She then decided to help Bladus, whom Jake had in a Figure Four.  
  
"AAHHH!!!" Bladus screamed, trying to resist the pressure his legs were under. Fadora then stabbed at Jake with her sword. Jake had to roll and dodge the sword, but he released Bladus in the process. As Bladus clutched his legs, Fadora's sword stabbed into the ground. She tried to pull it out, but it wouldn't budge. Jake took the opportunity, running to her side, then quickly spearing her. Bladus got up and lifted Jake into the air, slamming him down into the ground. The green dragon then helped Fadora up. "C'mon, Fadora." The dazed blue dragon slowly got up, as did Jake. Meanwhile, Kitty was pounding at the energy field, trying to phase through it.  
  
"Like, what is this?!? Jake!!" She screamed.  
  
"Forget it!" Praktor snickered. "Your powers have limits. You can't phase through an energy field. And the Chosen One is powerless to save you." He pressed a button on his head-mounted device, and an electrical pulse shot through Kitty's body.  
  
"AHHH!!!" She screamed. The pain was so much, she ended up passing out. Jake was having a tough time. It was a like a handicap match for him, facing off against Bladus and Fadora.  
  
"How rude of me, Chosen One." Bladus smirked. "We didn't introduce ourselves. We know who you are, but you have no idea of who we are. I am Bladus, and this is Fadora. The unconscious one is Krodor, a native of Goryon. Praktor, the one who has your friend in the energy field, is from Avicon."  
  
"What's going on?" Jake snarled. "Why are you here?"  
  
"Simple, really." Fadora smirked. "You are the Chosen One. Our employer wants you dead."  
  
"Chosen One?"  
  
"They say that you are destined to save two worlds. We can't allow that." The blue dragon smirked.  
  
"I don't know what this is all about..." Jake assumed a rather unique pose, a cross between a karate and a wrestling pose. "But if I must fight you to find out, I will."  
  
"Good luck, kid." Bladus sneered. "Praktor!" Jake turned around quickly. Praktor hit Jake in the head with a kick. As Jake stumbled back, Bladus grabbed the wrestler and caught him in a headlock.  
  
"Great warrior my scaly tail, Bladus!" Fadora looked at the incapacitated wrestler. "He can barely face one of us. Praktor pulled out one of his laser pistols.  
  
"I say we finish him AAHH!!" Praktor's gun was kicked out of his hand by Jake, then he got kicked in the face. Jake wrapped his arms around Bladus's neck, and flipped him over in a snapmare. Fadora tried to catch the wrestling dragon from behind, but Jake took to the air, flying behind her. When she turned, Jake spat a fireball in her face. He then caught a glimpse of Rogue knocked out. Jake immediately ran to her side.  
  
"Marie...My God, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." During Jake's distraction, Fadora snuck up behind him and clubbed him in the head, knocking the wrestler out. She then held up the wrestler by the back of his Brock Lesnar shirt. She put the tip of her sword to his heart.  
  
"Good bye, Chosen One." She smirked. As she was about to drive the sword into his heart, a roar was heard, and a shadow leapt out of the bushes.  
  
Who leapt out of the bushes? Are they friend or foe? Are Jake and his friends doomed? Find out, in Genesis of a Dragon, pt. 9! 


	9. Chapter 9

Genesis of a Dragon pt. 9  
  
Author's Note: Hi! L1701E here! I'm currently running a little low on ideas to continue, so include any suggestions in your reviews. They are greatly appreciated and thanks in advance!  
  
Dear Journal,  
  
Man, what a weird night! Lance, Kitty, Marie, and I went out to the new 1950's-style diner in town. Rogue was not happy with the double date idea, but she played along after I promised her that the next date would be just her and me. Anyway, afterwards, when we were all heading back home on my truck, a big ape-like thing attacked us! We then got ambushed by two...well...real-life, honest to-God dragons! Add on the weird parrot-man and we had one wild night! The two dragons kept referring to me as "The Chosen One." What did they mean? The female dragon said I was destined to save two worlds. What's going on? And why did they try to kill me?  
  
-- Jake "Dragon" Wildfire  
  
"WHAT?" Fadora dropped Jake as the shadow tackled her. Bladus and Praktor tried to attack, but two more shadows dive-bombed out of the night air and tackled them.  
  
"You shall not harm the Chosen One, traitor!" The shadow that tackled Fadora called out in a gallant voice. The light revealed that shadow to be a dragon with bright yellow scales, brown eyes, and long brown hair. The dragon's muzzle was very sleek, like his body had evolved only for flight. His wings had small claws on them, and his sleek arms contained powerful, yet small muscles, which had some scars on them. He wore a silver chestplate with a short-sleeved black shirt underneath it, and a short black cape was attached to it. His armor was completed by a leather-and- metal skirt-like garment. A scabbard and holster was attached to the sides. The most unusual feature of this dragon was that he had no legs. His lower body was snake-like, bright yellow scales with a pale yellow underbelly. The yellow dragon wrapped his tail protectively around Jake.  
  
"You are a fool, Windrazor!" Fadora snapped at the yellow dragon.  
  
"The insults of a traitor do not register in my mind." Windrazor retorted. Meanwhile, Bladus and Praktor recovered from the attack of the other two mysterious shadows. The two mercenaries recognized them.  
  
"Rancor..." Bladus growled. The taller of the two shadows stepped into the light. His powerful light blue-scaled body shone in the moonlight. His face and blue eyes shone with a combination of youthfulness and wisdom. All his long blue hair, except for the bangs, was tied in a ponytail. Around his head was a golden headband encrusted with jewels, like a crown. He wore a black bodysuit, adorned with a silver-and-gold chestplate, shoulder guards, gauntlets, and boots. His chestplate had a silver cape with a royal seal on it. He also had on a belt with a futuristic-looking buckle with several pockets, as well as wing armor. He had two scabbards crossing his back. "The Prince of Dragons has arrived." Rancor snarled at Bladus, then looked at Windrazor.  
  
"Windrazor!" He called out, his voice in a gruff, yet very melodic style. "Protect the Chosen One at all costs!"  
  
"He shall be safe!" Windrazor responded. "If I have to die to ensure his safety, then so be it!"  
  
"What about a Prophet?" Fadora smiled evilly as she picked up an unconscious Rogue, and held her sword to the southerner's neck. Suddenly, the third shadow moved and twisted Fadora's arm, forcing her to release the sword.  
  
"Not today." The third shadow, a female, snarled. Her scales were pink, and her purple hair was shoulder-length. Her green eyes indicated she was an experienced fighter, and she was never to be taken lightly. She was clad in red boots, blue pants, and a black top, revealing her light pink underbelly. Her chest was crossed by a pair of metallic sashes. Her silver belt carried the same buckle as Rancor's. A scabbard and a holster were on the sides as well. Her left wrist had a metal band, and her right had a watch-like device, but the face had no numbers, and it glowed red.  
  
"Guinevere, we meet again..." Fadora smiled.  
  
"The pleasure is not mine." The pink dragon growled, pulling out her sword. Unbeknownst to her, Krodor was slowly awakening. He saw Guinevere and pulled out a small white cylinder from his loincloth. He put a poison dart in it, as was about to fire when a fourth dragon kicked him in the head, knocking him out again. This dragon was clad in brown and white robes. It made him look rather like a Jedi Knight. He carried a long wooden staff, with a sharp gold-and silver jewel-encrusted teardrop-shaped head. Guinevere looked at the robed dragon, and smiled. "Thank you, father." The robed dragon pulled back his hood, revealing his dark red scales and green eyes. His long red hair was streaked with gray, as was his beard.  
  
"I am getting too old for this." He sighed.  
  
"Help the humans, Tralos!" Windrazor cried out to the old dragon. He and Rancor were facing Bladus and Praktor, while Guinevere and Fadora were getting ready to fight. Tralos looked around at the unconscious Lance, Kitty, Rogue and Jake. The three heroic dragons and the mercenary trio drew their weapons and started to battle. Tralos carefully lifted Rogue, Jake, and Lance to Jake's truck, and gently propped the three mutants against the side of it. He calmly walked to the energy field Kitty was trapped in, and pulled what looked like a key out of his robes, and put the end to the field. In a flash of light, the field disappeared, and Tralos caught the knocked-out Shadowcat. He propped her alongside Lance, and her head fell on his shoulder. With a smile, the dark-red dragon put the key back in his robes and pulled out a tiny canister. He shook some dust from the canister, and chanted something in some odd language. The dust in his clawed hand glowed, and he gently spread it over the four mutant teens. They all slowly awoke. Jake's face went into an expression of shock.  
  
"Are you alright, Chosen One?" Tralos asked the wrestler.  
  
"Who are you?" Jake angrily got to his feet, Rogue, Kitty, and Lance with him.  
  
"I am Tralos, Chosen One." He bowed respectfully. "I see you have one of your Prophets with you."  
  
"Like, Prophets?" Kitty asked the old dragon.  
  
"Three guides for the Chosen One. They aid, support, and protect him." He then saw Rancor and Bladus battle with their swords.  
  
"Wait a minute!" Rogue demanded. "Ah've got some questions. Who are these Prophets? What's with this Chosen One business, and why can't Ah absorb Jake?" Tralos looked confused by Rogue's last question. "The blue dragon lady called me 'soulsucker'. Ah can't touch anyone, or Ah absorb their life force, and abilities. But Ah couldn't absorb Jake. Nor could Ah absorb her."  
  
"Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere else." Tralos reminded the four of the battle.  
  
"Who are these things?" Lance asked angrily. During the conversation, Rancor, Windrazor, and Guinevere had battled Bladus, Praktor and Fadora. The three mercenaries found themselves cornered by the three heroic dragons.  
  
"We have succeeded!" Windrazor cheered. "Tell Tyrannis that the Chosen One is alive and well."  
  
"You can also tell him that now we have found him, his days are numbered." Guinevere added. Bladus snarled. Rancor threw them the unconscious Krodor.  
  
"Get out of here." Rancor growled dangerously.  
  
"We will return, Rancor. You can count on it." Bladus pulled a tiny device out of his pants and pressed a button on it, and pointed it behind them like a remote control. A swirling blue portal appeared. Bladus, carrying Krodor, Fadora, and Praktor jumped in the portal, then it shrunk and disappeared. The three dragons sheathed their weapons.  
  
"We'll be waiting. Gwen, Windrazor, all of you alright?" Rancor asked concernedly.  
  
"You worry too much, Your Majesty." Guinevere, or Gwen as she was simply known, smiled.  
  
"My health is unimportant, unless the Chosen One is safe." Windrazor bowed.  
  
"The Chosen One is fine, Windrazor." Tralos called out.  
  
"Then I am in good health." The legless yellow dragon smiled. "Are you hurt, Your Majesty?"  
  
"Please, my friends. I do allow you to refer to me by name." Rancor smirked as he walked to the teens. He then bowed respectfully to Jake, and to a second person.  
  
"Lance, they're also bowing to Rogue!" Kitty noticed.  
  
"Now I am confused." Lance scratched his head.  
  
"We humbly apologize for frightening you, Chosen One. We hope you and the Prophet are safe."  
  
"Prophet?" Rogue was confused. "What is going on here?" Rogue scratched her head as the dragons rose.  
  
"I am Rancor, Sovereign Ruler of the Dragon Kingdom. This is Guinevere..." Rancor motioned to the pink warrior.  
  
"Call me Gwen." She said.  
  
"Windrazor is the Dragon Kingdom's greatest knight." Rancor motioned to the yellow dragon.  
  
"Why don't you have any legs?" Lance asked.  
  
"I was born without legs, like all dragons in my home province." Windrazor explained. Suddenly, the X-Van drove in, and Logan and Storm jumped out.  
  
"Oh my..." Storm looked at the four dragons.  
  
"Do not fear, Chosen One!" Windrazor quickly slithered in front of Jake and Rogue, sword brandished. "These villains will not harm you."  
  
"Wait!" Jake called out, putting his hands on Windrazor's sword. "They're friends." Windrazor nodded and put his sword away, but he still gave an untrusting look to Wolverine and Storm.  
  
"Forgive Windrazor. He tends to be a little overzealous." Rancor sighed.  
  
"Who are you?" Logan unsheathed his claws. "Some answers would be greatly appreciated."  
  
"Perhaps we should talk somewhere more comfortable." Rancor suggested. "I will explain everything then." The X-Van, Jake's truck, and the dragons all drove/flew to the Institute. There, Rancor made good on his promise. In the Institute's common room, the prince and his team met the X-Men, then he told his story.  
  
"You see, the four of us are among a group of warriors that have been fighting to save our dimension from a tyrant named Tyrannis." Rancor pulled a small pad-like device out of his belt. The device displayed the face of a black-scaled, red-eyed, blue-haired dragon. "I am the sovereign ruler of the Dragon Kingdom. Tyrannis was the Royal Guard Captain under the rule of my parents. Six of your months ago, Tyrannis took power. He slaughtered my parents in front of me. He tried to assassinate me, but I fled to hopefully take the throne back from him." A small tear left his eye as he told the story. Gwen and Storm consoled the warrior prince.  
  
"How horrible." Storm said.  
  
"Indeed." Rancor agreed. "Under my parents, the Dragon Kingdom was a utopia. Dragons could live in peace and serenity without fear or hatred. We lived in harmony with the parallel dimension which we have become to know as home."  
  
"Parallel dimension?" Jake asked.  
  
"You see, we dragons originally lived with humans on Earth, but our existence has faded into legend. During the time you know as the Dark Ages, humans turned on dragons. Actually, the humans living in Western Europe turned on us. The religion called Christianity painted us dragons as servants of Satan, and pure evil. (A/N: I believe this is true.). A powerful wizard managed to banish all the dragons into a parallel universe. This is part of the reason why Tyrannis took the throne. As soon as we found a way to traverse dimensions, Tyrannis's hatred for humanity was revealed. He wanted to invade your world. Naturally, my parents refused to allow that to happen."  
  
"And they paid with their lives." Lance added.  
  
"However, I hope that someday, humans and dragons will live together in peace once again."  
  
"But humans must learn to understand each other. And mutants." Professor X explained.  
  
"Keeping your mutations secret is not helping that." Gwen smirked.  
  
"Enough of this." Windrazor groaned. "Tell them of the legend."  
  
"Right." Rancor nodded. "You see, when Tyrannis took over, an old dragon legend played out. It said that when the greatest of evil took over the kingdom of dragons, a Chosen One shall arise from the world of humans. Born a man, but having the power of a dragon, he shall be aided by three Prophets. One will fight alongside him, one will protect his life, and the third will give the Chosen One the confidence he needs to face his destiny."  
  
"So Jake is the Chosen One, and Ah am a Prophet?" Rogue wondered.  
  
"Yes." Rancor smiled. "In fact, you were the one that boosted his confidence."  
  
"Jake was a very shy guy before we started dating." Rogue remembered. Tralos sighed, remembering when he first met Gwen's mother.  
  
"Now we need to find the other two." Tralos sighed.  
  
"Do you have any idea who they are?" Storm asked.  
  
"Well, according to the legends, one has a fox's cunning and no fear. The other is like a toad, possessing deep inner strength under a weakling body. Fate brought these three and the Chosen One together. One by love, two by friendship." The others quickly figured out the other two Prophets.  
  
"Oh no..." Scott groaned. "If that egomaniac hears about this, he'll either disbelieve it, or brag about it."  
  
"Not to mention..." Lance started.  
  
"Foxfire and Toad." Jean grumbled. "Those two idiots are destined to help Jake save two worlds."  
  
"No offense, but zose two are morons. You are doomed." Kurt sighed. Windrazor roared and pointed his sword at Kurt's neck.  
  
"How dare you insult the Prophets!!" Windrazor roared. "I should kill you for that!" Rancor and Tralos quickly rose to their feet.  
  
"Calm down, Windrazor!" Tralos ordered sternly. "He didn't mean it!"  
  
"These two must be around!" Rancor ordered. "If those four clowns found Foxfire and Toad..."  
  
"Hey girly men!" A voice cried out. Foxfire made his appearance. He looked over at the four dragons and burst out laughing. "What is this, a renaissance fair? WAHHH HAHAHAHAHA huh?" He saw the four dragons bow towards him. "Hey, these clowns have taste. They worship me." Rogue slapped her forehead.  
  
"Prophet, you are needed to battle a great evil." Foxfire looked at Windrazor strangely.  
  
"Why do you have no legs?" Foxfire wondered.  
  
"I was born without any, Prophet." Jake sighed.  
  
"Lance, get Toad here, now." Jake simply said. "This is gonna be a looooooong night." After Lance and the rest of the Brotherhood arrived, the four dragons did the same thing. Pietro got furious and the other mutants were amazed.  
  
"I CAN'T STAND IT!!!!" Pietro stood up angrily. "This lousy dragon has it made! First, he grievously insults me..."  
  
"Ah'm not going out with you, Pietro!" Rogue snapped. Pietro ignored the remark.  
  
"Then we find out that he, Rogue, Jason, and Toad are part of an ancient prophecy! What's in it for me?"  
  
"Whoever wrote that prophecy had taste, Quicksilver." Foxfire grinned. "I ain't complainin'."  
  
"You wouldn't." He growled. "I think this whole thing is just crock!" He ended up with a sword pointing at his neck courtesy of Windrazor.  
  
"If you even dare to harm them in any way, shape, or form, I will kill you. That is a promise."  
  
"I can move at superhuman speeds, Lizardman!" Pietro smirked. "You won't be able to catch me." Windrazor smirked. In a flash, he was across the room. Quicksilver's jaw dropped, as well as the other mutants. "What?"  
  
"Catching you would not be a problem." The yellow dragon smiled evilly. Rancor laughed.  
  
"As a hatchling, Windrazor accidentally drank a magic potion, gifting him with his speed." Rancor explained. "It was a funny incident."  
  
"Why do you think he is known as Windrazor?" Tralos laughed. "He is so fast, he cuts the air."  
  
"I hate to interrupt the fun boys, but we do have more important matters. You see, Professor..." Gwen sighed. "Tyrannis is inhuman."  
  
"Literally." Toad quipped.  
  
"Anyway, he is insane." Gwen said. "He has destroyed our world. He has killed mercilessly." The pink dragon started to shake, and a couple tears fell out of her tightly closed eyes. "I lost my mother thanks to him." Tralos wrapped an arm around his daughter.  
  
"I lost my beloved mate thanks to Tyrannis."  
  
"I had a brother named Axton." Windrazor sighed. "Like me, he was a noble, good-hearted one. A pride to dragons everywhere. During a supply raid, Axton and a group of dragons attacked a supply convoy. Unfortunately, Tyrannis himself was there. He fought the dragons there, and Axton distracted him while the other dragons fled. When they found him, all that was left of my noble brother was a few charred bones, his sword through the ribcage, and a few tattered shards of cloth."  
  
"All four of us have grudges against Tyrannis." Rancor said.  
  
"But now that we have the Chosen One and the three Prophets together, we can return to the Dragon Kingdom and face Tyrannis! We can avenge our lost loved ones and let them rest in peace." Windrazor cheered.  
  
"Calm down, Windrazor!" Gwen sighed. "They are young. They aren't exactly ready."  
  
"My concerns exactly." Xavier agreed. "I don't think it would be a good idea for them to go to another dimension when we have no idea about what dangers are there."  
  
"Professor, they must face Tyrannis! Both our worlds are in danger!" Windrazor insisted. "The Chosen One and the Prophets are the only ones that can stop him!"  
  
"We can find a way to lure him here." Scott offered.  
  
"No, he's too smart for that." Rancor shook his head. He reached into his bodysuit and pulled out a semi-circular object that looked like it was part of an amulet. The outer semi-circular edge was silver, engraved with ancient writing. Three gems were arranged alongside it, a yellow garnet, a white diamond, and a black diamond.  
  
"Like, what is that?" Kitty pointed at the amulet half. "It's beautiful." Rancor smiled.  
  
"The Amulet of the Gods. One half of it anyway." Gwen answered.  
  
"It is an ancient artifact, created by the six Dragon Gods." Windrazor explained. The mutants looked at him strangely. "What?"  
  
"In our religion, there are six Gods. The story goes that there were two Dragon Gods at first. Lectrana, the Goddess of Light, and Shanos, the God of Shadow. They created the whole universe. In that universe, four elements arose." Rancor started telling the tale.  
  
"Let me guess. Earth, Fire, Air and Water." Beast guessed.  
  
"Correct." Rancor smiled. "They had four children, and each of them was put in charge of an element. Gaira became Goddess of Earth. Hydrus became God of Water. Cytora became Goddess of Wind, and Pygor became God of Fire. The four gods are like children. Sometimes they cooperate, sometimes they battle each other. These four monitor the elements here. Lectrana and Shanos let their children play with the young planet Earth, making it the way it is." Rancor smiled. "However, the four children were watched by their parents in the sky."  
  
"Lectrana rules during the day, and Shanos rules in the night." Jake reasoned. Rancor nodded.  
  
"What's so special about the amulet?" Toad wondered.  
  
"Maybe it has magical powers." Blob suggested.  
  
"Indeed." Tralos sighed. "Rancor has one half, Tyrannis has the other."  
  
"I took it to protect the Kingdom as I fled from the throne." Rancor said. "You see, if Tyrannis can reunite the two halves of the amulet, he will...in essence, become a god."  
  
"Is that possible?" Wolverine's eyes bulged.  
  
"Yes." Gwen sighed. "If Tyrannis get his claws on it, nothing can stop him."  
  
"That's also why Tyrannis is after me." Rancor sighed. "I cannot carry the amulet half on my person much longer. I have to put it somewhere safe."  
  
"Why not allow us to hold on to the amulet half temporarily?" Xavier suggested. The four dragons appeared to like the idea.  
  
"Of course!" Gwen snapped her clawed fingers. "That monster would never expect a dragon artifact to be in the hands, or in the care of humans."  
  
"What a minute!" Pietro cried out. "How do you know the X-Geeks won't just give it to this 'Tyrannis' person? You can trust the Brotherhood with it." Jake had explained the 'X-Men vs. Brotherhood' thing to the four dragons.  
  
"Unlike you, we care about this world!" Scott snapped.  
  
"Since when?" Lance smirked.  
  
"Yeah Scooter, we know all you care about is your social standing!" Foxfire agreed.  
  
"Shut up, Fox!" Scott yelled.  
  
"And you accuse Foxfire of having a big ego." Lance laughed.  
  
"Shut up, Alvers!"  
  
"You shut up, Summers!"  
  
"Lame-o!"  
  
"Dork!"  
  
"Punk!"  
  
"Nerd!"  
  
"ENOUGH!" Jake leapt to his feet, and he knocked Scott and Lance's heads together.  
  
"OW!! What was that for?!?" They both yelled at Jake.  
  
"Two worlds are at stake, and you two are arguing amongst yourselves!" Dragon snapped. "And you've wondered why I chose to stay neutral! Listen up. We all have talents that we must put together on this one. Scott and Lance, as well as Evan and Pietro. I know that you guys have old rivalries, and quite frankly, I don't care right now!"  
  
"Dragon's right, yo." Toad stood up with a sigh. "This is more important." He walked over to Nightcrawler. "I know we have a rivalry ourselves, Fuzzy. But unlike Avalanche and Quickie, I'll put it aside for the world." Toad outstretched his hand to Kurt.  
  
"Might as vell...Prophet." Kurt quipped, shaking the hand of the toad-like mutant.  
  
"The Prophet is right." Windrazor agreed. "You all must now dispense of your old rivalries. They are meaningless. Tyrannis will conquer this world if you allow these petty quarrels to continue. He will turn them against you. If he conquers this world, human, mutant, and dragon will suffer equally."  
  
"We must all battle Tyrannis as one force. I know that will be tough." Rancor reassured.  
  
"Ha!" Pietro scoffed. "The X-Geeks will turn and run!"  
  
"That sounds like something you would do, Maximoff!" Spyke snapped. The two old enemies stood up, fists raised. Jake gave them the same treatment he gave Scott and Lance.  
  
"OWW!!!" They cried out. Windrazor whispered something to Rancor.  
  
"I don't trust the silver-haired one." Windrazor told Rancor. "His lust towards the Prophet called Rogue may cause him to turn traitor."  
  
"We'll cross that bridge if we reach it." Rancor whispered back.  
  
"Are we going or what?" Blob asked. "I wanna see what the food is like."  
  
"Typical Freddy." Foxfire laughed. Rancor laughed in a friendly manner.  
  
"I see you are willing to try some dragon cuisine. When we get to the Kingdom, I will see that your taste buds are satisfied."  
  
"Sounds great!" Freddy smiled, turning to Jake. "Thank goodness Pietro isn't the Chosen One."  
  
"HEY!! I'd make a better prophetic hero than that moron." Pietro smirked.  
  
"You mean a more idiotic hero." Foxy grinned.  
  
"I hate you." Pietro whined.  
  
"So let me get this straight." Storm said. "Jake, Rogue, Toad, and Foxfire are supposed to go to this parallel universe and battle an evil dragon warlord, because a prophecy dictates they are destined to do so."  
  
"I understand your concerns." Rancor said sadly. "Unfortunately, Tyrannis will not wait for the Chosen One to grow to adulthood. If he becomes aware that the Chosen One is..."  
  
"Call me Jake." Dragon interrupted.  
  
"Of course. As I was saying, if he becomes aware that Jake knows his destiny now, Tyrannis will not care about age, just as long as the Chosen One and the Prophets are dead."  
  
"No one has answered mah question!" Rogue snapped. "Why couldn't Ah absorb the life force of the dragon that tried to kill me? Ah know that Jake is connected to this somehow." Gwen smirked.  
  
"Because dragons have a very unique life force, that's why." Gwen explained. "The life force of all creatures is different. Our life energies are shielded by a natural psychic barrier."  
  
"Barrier?" Rogue wanted a further explanation.  
  
"I never detected a psychic barrier from Jake." Jean was confused.  
  
"Neither have I." Xavier added.  
  
"It can only be detected by a certain telepathic technique that neither of you have mastered." Tralos explained further. "It reduces the severity of injuries, and it reduces chances of death by severe injury. We discovered it also has the effect of preventing our life force from being stolen."  
  
"Like when Ah touch someone."  
  
"Exactly." Tralos nodded. "When you do touch someone, your mind creates a link with the mind of the person you touch, and the link sucks their life force into you. However, when you touch a dragon, your mind runs into the barrier. The barrier stops the linking, therefore, your mind cannot absorb the life force."  
  
"Oh my stars and garters! Jake's dragon mutation must've given him the same mental shield! That's why Rogue can touch him!" Beast realized.  
  
"I believe so." Tralos scratched his beard. "I think that's how your powers work, Rogue. I based it on how a creature in our world called a soulsucker does it. Only instead of touching, it bites."  
  
"Beautiful!" Pietro groaned. "Just beautiful. Jake was born Rogue-proof."  
  
"Ah wonder why..." Rogue smirked evilly at Jake, making the wrestler blush. Gwen let out a giggle.  
  
"Yep, fate wanted you two together." Gwen giggled.  
  
"I hate dragons." Pietro muttered. "I really hate dragons."  
  
Can the red-haired wrestler live up to his divine expectations? What will happen to Rogue, Toad, and Foxfire? Can the X-Men, the Brotherhood, and the dragons defeat Tyrannis and save both their worlds? Find out on Genesis of a Dragon pt. 10! 


	10. Chapter 10

Genesis of a Dragon pt. 10  
  
Author's Note: On February 10, 2003, as I was writing this chapter, I found out about the passing of former WWE Intercontinental Champion Curt "Mr. Perfect" Hennig. As a wrestling fan, I wish to dedicate this chapter to him, one of the best technical wrestlers around. He will be missed.  
  
#############################################################  
  
Dear Journal,  
  
Well, you won't believe this. My life was saved by these four dragons who are fighting in a war against this very evil dragon named Tyrannis. Their leader is Rancor. His parents, the king and queen of the Dragon Kingdom, were killed by him while he was in charge of their Royal Guard. He told me and the other mutants in town that Tyrannis wants to conquer both their and my world. He's already succeeded in conquering the Dragon Kingdom, and now he wants our world. Rancor told us that a wizard exiled all dragons to a parallel universe during the Medieval Age, and Tyrannis wants revenge on the humans for that. He is also after the Amulet of the Gods, a mystical artifact that can turn the user into a living god. Rancor has one half of the amulet, but the Professor and the X-Men agreed to hold on to it. Tyrannis has the other half of it. I fear if Tyrannis gets the amulet, he can't be stopped. Not even by me.  
  
-Jake "Dragon" Wildfire  
  
########################################################################  
  
Jake Wildfire sat on the mansion roof, staring at the stars. He had a lot on his mind.  
  
"Why me?" Jake thought. "Why me? Why is it my destiny to face an evil tyrant and save two worlds? Why do I have to do this? I was just a normal kid...well, a normal mutant kid, before all this stuff..." Jake sighed. "I don't know. What if I fail? What if I can't do it? Those dragons have placed all their faith in me, and I can let 'em down. But, what if they made a mistake? What if I am not their destined hero and savior?"  
  
"Troubles, Chosen One?" A voice asked. Jake turned around and saw Rancor standing on the other side of the roof.  
  
"How'd you get up here?" Jake asked. Rancor laughed.  
  
"I flew. Most dragons can do that." The warrior prince smirked. "Something troubles you, Jake?"  
  
"Yeah." Dragon sighed. "I can't believe that I am the object of this prophecy. I mean...what if I fail you guys? You dragons are counting on me so much. You really believe that I can defeat this Tyrannis guy." Jake paused for a moment. "I don't know if I can do it. I know what's on the line. I mean, both our worlds are in deep trouble. Your world is under his thumb already."  
  
"I know." Rancor sighed. He looked over at Jake. "I know."  
  
"I don't think I can be the Chosen One. I know it's my destiny, but I can't do it. It's...well, I think it can't be done by someone like me. How do you expect me, the son of a pro wrestler from Boston, a regular kid who has flame breath, to defeat a dragon? Based on my seeing you fight, Rancor, I've deduced that dragons are generally, physically stronger."  
  
"True. The averaged dragon possesses 2.5 times the strength of the average human." Rancor replied.  
  
"The odds are so stacked against me. It's like a 200-pound man going into a match against three 600-pound guys! There's no way for the smaller guy, in this case, me, to win!"  
  
"Never underestimate your ability." Rancor replied. "You possess a big advantage over Tyrannis. You have your Prophets backing you up."  
  
"But Rogue's absorbing powers are useless against dragons! She's a good fighter, but she didn't stand much of a chance against that blue dragon."  
  
"True, but as a Prophet, she is duty-bound to be there for you."  
  
"Why is she a Prophet? Why are Toad and Foxfire Prophets?"  
  
"Rogue is a Prophet because of her love for you. That love has given you confidence in yourself. Toad and Fox are Prophets because they are your friends. As your friends, they are duty-bound to support and stand by you. You would do the same for them."  
  
"That's true." Jake then had an idea. "Could I bring some of the X-Men and Brotherhood with me?" Rancor thought it over for a second.  
  
"Well...nothing in the prophecies say anything against it. I guess we could bring a couple more to back us up." Rancor smiled.  
  
"Yeah..." Jake said, sighing.  
  
"You still doubt you can do it." Rancor understood. "You still doubt you can live up to your destiny."  
  
"Yeah, I do." Jake said. "I'm just a wrestler. I'm no great hero."  
  
"What does your background have to do with your ability to be a hero?" Rancor asked. "We dragons have a saying: Sometimes the greatest of heroes can come from the humblest of beginnings."  
  
"But I can't be a savior!"  
  
"Jake..." The blue dragon looked at him. "The gods would not write a prophecy about you if they believed you couldn't be the object of a prophecy. The gods believe you can be a savior." Rancor noticed Gwen and Rogue sitting at the pool, engaged in their own conversation. "If I know Guinevere and Rogue, they believe in you." Jake groaned. "I believe in you." Rancor stood up and placed a clawed hand on Jake. "You can do this, Jake. You have a great destiny ahead of you. You have your friends. They are your allies." Rancor then stared at Guinevere.  
  
"What are you looking at, Rancor?" Jake asked. Rancor glared. "Sorry...Your Majesty."  
  
"You are a friend. I would certainly allow the Chosen One to refer to me by name."  
  
"Then why'd you look at me like that?" Jake scratched his head.  
  
"Nothing." Rancor looked away. "Nothing at all."  
  
"Are you...you're..." Jake looked at Rancor, then at the girls. "You...you're...you're blushing, aren't you?" Jake saw the light pink mix with Rancor's blue scales on his cheeks.  
  
"Certainly not!" Rancor snapped.  
  
"Yeah you are. I've blushed like that many times." Jake grinned. "You have a crush on Gwen, huh?"  
  
"Nonsense! I've known Guinevere ever since we were hatchlings! My bond with her is strictly of friendship! Nothing more!"  
  
"Uh huh." Jake nodded his head smiling. "Uh huh." Rancor growled.  
  
"Grrrmble..." Rancor growled, blushing. Jake laughed.  
  
"Yeah. I felt the same way when I was teased about me and Rogue." Jake smiled, running his hand through his red hair. "Very defensive." The Prince of Dragons sighed.  
  
"I guess you're right." Rancor shook his head. "I guess even my heart can't stand up against the charms of a beautiful woman."  
  
"Yeah..." Jake looked at the girls. "Who knows what they're talking about."  
  
"Only the Gods do." Rancor smiled. "This must be a lot for you."  
  
"Yeah." Jake closed his eyes. "It is. I find out that I was part of a legend that said that I was destined to save a world of dragons and my home from an evil tyrant, my two best friends and my girlfriend are destined to be my guides. I don't know if I can do it."  
  
"I'm very sure you can, Jake Wildfire." Rancor responded. "You don't realize what you are truly capable of. Think about it. Because of you, hatreds between the X-Men and the Brotherhood have cooled down considerably."  
  
"Barely." Jake sighed. "I just think it's silly."  
  
"You are indeed a wiser mutant in that aspect." Rancor replied.  
  
"I have no feeling towards wither group." Jake explained. "I guess I see something different. My whole life, I've seen my dad engage in storyline feuds with guys like the Iron Sheik, Razor Ramon, Mr. Perfect, and most recently Chris Jericho." Jake shrugged. "Maybe watching all those made-up rivalries made me think about how real ones work. If you took a look, it's all personal hatreds. Lance hates Scott. Evan hates Pietro. Kurt hates Todd. Fox thinks he's better than everybody else. Why can't they see that this whole 'X-Men vs. Brotherhood' stuff is all just a bunch of personal rivalries that all happened to ended up threaded together?"  
  
"I don't know." Rancor shrugged. "All I can say is that personal hatreds are hard to overcome. You cannot force them."  
  
"I know, but these guys take it too seriously."  
  
"They must overcome it on their own. You can help them, but you cannot make them ditch their hatreds. They have to do that themselves."  
  
"I suppose. I'm stuck as the negotiator." Jake shrugged.  
  
"Don't tell Gwen that...you know." Rancor blushed. "I think it'd be better if I told her myself."  
  
"Sure." Jake smiled. "If you decide to tell her."  
  
"Hey!" Rancor playfully cried. As the two of them were conversing, Rogue and Guinevere were talking to each other.  
  
"Mah God." Rogue shook her head. "Ah can't believe you, Gwen." The pink dragon was laughing her head off.  
  
"I know!" She laughed. Rogue decided to change the subject. "So...How about that Rancor?"  
  
"What about Rancor?" Gwen blushed. Rogue smirked.  
  
"You like him."  
  
"I don't have a...uh...what do you humans call it?"  
  
"A crush." Rogue told her.  
  
"Yeah. I don't have one of those on Rancor!" Gwen said.  
  
"Yeah ya do." Rogue smirked. "Ah could tell. Ah may not have Jean's telepathy, but Ah don't need it to see you like him. Ah didn't wanna admit Ah liked Jake either." Gwen growled.  
  
"Whatever." Gwen grumbled, the pink scales on her cheeks turning red. "Whatever." The warrior got up and walked off. "We have to go to the Dragon Kingdom soon."  
  
"Ah know." Rogue sighed. "Ah can't believe Ah'm part of an old prophecy." Gwen smirked.  
  
"Yeah. I can't believe it either." She then heard yelling, roaring, and screaming. Gwen shook her head. "Windrazor and Quicksilver are having an argument."  
  
"No surprise." Rogue grumbled. "Gwen..."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Ah don't know. Ah don't think I can fulfill the prophecy...well, mah part, anyway."  
  
"What makes you say that?" Gwen inquired.  
  
"Ah don't know what mah part is, or Fox's. Or Toad's."  
  
"Your part? In the prophecies, you're the Chosen One's lover. The one he can turn to and know will always be behind him, no matter what. Foxfire is the Warrior. He fights alongside him." Gwen thought up another way to explain it. "It's like the sport Jake loves: Wrestling. Foxfire is his destined tag team partner. Toad...He's the Sage."  
  
"Sage? Toad? Those two words do not fit together, Guinevere." Rogue sighed. "Toad is not very wise."  
  
"Toad is wiser than you think, Rogue." Gwen reminded. "He has seen both the dark and bright sides of life in a way no else has. Fate has made sure of that. In the prophecies, Toad's duty is to provide the Chosen One with advice, and friendship."  
  
"You dragons actually believe that Toad possesses wisdom?" Rogue asked in an amazed manner. Gwen nodded. "Ah'm beginning to agree with Pietro. Ah can understand me as the Lover, and Foxfire as the Warrior, but Toad as the Sage?"  
  
"Think, Rogue." Gwen said. "Think. Who does Jake go to for advice?"  
  
"Toad. Ah don't know why, but he always goes to Toad. It's like Jake knows of some deep hidden wisdom that he has." Rogue thought for a moment. "You believe that Toad possesses great power underneath the slime and stench."  
  
"Indeed. You do too. So does Foxfire." Guinevere smiled. "All three Prophets possess great hidden powers underneath."  
  
"Are you saying that our mutations will grow?"  
  
"I'm not saying that. It could be anything." Gwen replied. "Remember, we must go back to the Dragon Kingdom soon." Rogue sighed and stared into the sky. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Ah've never felt like this before." Rogue sighed. "Ah'm...well...Ah'm scared outta mah mind. For Jake. Ah'm afraid something bad will happen to him." Gwen put a consoling hand on Rogue's shoulder. "What if Jake gets hurt or something?"  
  
"That won't happen." Gwen reassured Rogue. "It won't happen at all. Rancor, myself, Windrazor, and father will be with him, as well as Foxfire and Toad. So will you."  
  
"Do Ah have to come?"  
  
"Jake will need you. You gave him confidence. Without all three Prophets, the Chosen One will not be at his full strength."  
  
"Wait a minute, Ah'm beginning to see a pattern here." Rogue realized. "The Prophets...they're extensions of the Chosen One, right? Toad's the Sage. He must be an extension of Jake's mind. Foxfire, as the Warrior, is the extension of his body. But what do Ah represent?"  
  
"Simple." Gwen smiled. "As the Lover, you represent Jake's heart. You keep him from straying from his path. You know how the Chosen One is so willing to protect you." Rogue mulled over Gwen's statement. "You are correct about Todd and Jason. The mind, body, and heart hold deep power. So do the three of you. So Jake will need you. Without the heart, the mind and body cannot work together. You are the most important of the Prophets."  
"Alright. You're right. Ah can't let Dragon down." Rogue got up. "Let's go." Later on, the four dragons were standing in a field. The X-Men and the Brotherhood were with them.  
  
"Thank you for your hospitality, Professor." Rancor bowed. "But we must go. Jake and the others must do this and we have little time."  
  
"I am still very worried abut this." The Professor said.  
  
"Professor Xavier, I give you my sacred vow as a knight. The Chosen One and his prophets will remain safe." Windrazor boomed.  
  
"No offense wings, but I think I'll come along and give 'em a hand." Logan smirked.  
  
"It will be dangerous." Windrazor stated.  
  
"I like danger." Wolverine unsheathed his claws.  
  
"I'll come as well." Storm said. "My ability to control weather should be useful to you."  
  
"Yeah." Gwen said.  
  
"Me too. Besides, Rancor promised a feast." Blob smiled.  
  
"Storm's powers can't touch the earth, so I'll come as well." Lance said.  
  
"Me too!" Kitty agreed.  
  
"No way!" Scott cried out. "Kitty, I know you are going because Alvers is going!"  
  
"I hate to say this, but Summers has a point." Lance sighed. "Kitty, I don't want anything bad to happen to you. We don't know what'll happen or what's in that dragon world."  
  
"Lance, I want to help." Kitty said. "No joke."  
  
"Take it from me, Lance." Jake said. "You can't win an argument with a woman."  
  
"Besides, Storm and I shouldn't be the only girls going on this trip." Gwen laughed. Lance sighed.  
  
"Alright, alright." Avalanche caved in.  
  
"I am coming as vell!" Kurt said. "Somebody has to keep Jake and Rogue in line."  
  
"Kurt, Jake isn't like that!" Rogue grumbled.  
  
"Be careful. All of you." Xavier said.  
  
"We'll be fine, Professor." Foxfire laughed. "We're just going to another world, and beating up a bad guy. Nothing unusual. Besides, I am destined to be a hero. It's so appropriate. After all, only one as good-looking, charismatic, and great as I am is destined to do this."  
  
"Dude, you're the Warrior. You help Jake fight. You're his sidekick." Toad laughed.  
  
"Yeah, Foxfire. You are like my tag partner." Dragon said. Foxfire sighed.  
  
"I get no respect." Pietro walked up to Dragon. Windrazor started growling.  
  
"If anything happens to Rogue out there, Dragon...I'll take it out of your hide." Quicksilver threatened. He and Jake were standing nose to nose, despite the fact that Jake was a little taller than him.  
  
"She'll be fine, Quicksilver. I'll make sure of it." Jake said. "Stay behind on this one."  
  
"You can't tell me what to do." Quicksilver growled. "Windrazor may have my speed, but he isn't me."  
  
"But I can be trusted." Windrazor sneered. "I have heard about you. How do we know that you wouldn't betray the Chosen One?"  
  
"Pietro, we will need you to help the others guard the amulet half here." Gwen said. "We'll take care of Tyrannis." Pietro stared at Jake, then backed off.  
  
"Let's go. We're needed desperately." Jake said. Tralos nodded. Out of his robes, he pulled out a jar of blue sand. He poured some on his clawed hand, and sprinkled it in a line on the ground. The dragon then chanted some ancient words, and the blue sand glowed. A blue-and-black swirling rectangle grew out of the glowing blue line.  
  
"This portal leads to the Dragon Kingdom." Rancor said. "Once we go through, we cannot return until Tyrannis is defeated. Wolverine, Storm, Katherine, Lance, Frederick, Kurt, you can choose to stay here if you wish."  
  
"We want to help." Fred said. "I was promised a feast."  
  
"True." Rancor nodded. "I wouldn't be right to break a promise."  
  
"You'll need help there." Logan said.  
  
"Rogue's my sister." Kurt said. "I must be zere for her." Windrazor nodded sympathetically.  
  
"I can understand that." The dragon knight sympathized.  
  
"Professor, guard that amulet half with your life." Rancor said. "We will stop Tyrannis, at all costs. May the Gods protect you."  
  
"Good Luck." The remaining mutants all said. The four dragons, Jake, Rogue, Foxfire, Toad, Blob, Avalanche, Shadowcat, Wolverine, Storm and Nightcrawler entered the portal, to a world unlike anything known, and to a destiny that could spell either prosperity or destruction for two dimensions.  
  
How will Tyrannis react to all this? Can the dragons and mutants save their worlds? Will the Dragon Tyrant get his hands on the amulet half held by Xavier? Find out in Genesis of a Dragon, pt. 11!!! 


	11. Chapter 11

Genesis of a Dragon pt. 11  
  
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Dear Journal,  
  
Well, here we go! I'm going to the Dragon Kingdom. Wolverine, Storm, Lance, Kitty, Kurt and Fred are coming along with me, Rogue, Toad, and Foxfire. I have no idea what this place is like, nor do I have any idea what we'll do what we get there. For now, I guess we'll have to get used to the fact we'll be staying for a while. I'm really worried, and quite scared. Who knows what'll happen in another dimension? I tell you, being a destined hero is not going to be easy. I feel there'll be many dangers, but it'll be worth it.  
  
-Jake "Dragon" Wildfire  
  
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"FOOLS!" Tyrannis yelled at the top of his gruff voice. "You are all pathetic fools!!" The black dragon snapped at the four mercenaries. "I ask you to kill one pathetic human child, and you fail me miserably!"  
  
"My Lord, please understand." Bladus pleaded. "We had the Chosen One where we wanted him, but the Prince showed up."  
  
"He and his lousy friends showed up out of nowhere. We had no chance." Fadora added.  
  
"No kidding." Krodor grumbled, massaging his jaw. "First the Lover knocks me out, then the old healer. I barely got a punch in." Praktor laughed.  
  
"I managed to nearly capture a mutant." The parrot-man remembered. "Rancor and the others managed to save them, unfortunately. I would've loved to study the strange properties of the X-Gene."  
  
"You and your trivial pursuits." Fadora grumbled. "Who cares about a lousy rogue strand of DNA?"  
  
"That 'lousy rogue strand of DNA', as you so affectionately refer to it, has given these humans great powers. One of the mutants we attacked has great potential. The one called Avalanche has power over the earth, for example. If his powers grow, he could bend the very ground we stand on to his will!" Praktor snapped. Scarpena walked into the room, worry on her face.  
  
"Finally, someone competent arrives." Tyrannis grumbled. The dragon sorceress bowed. "You have news?"  
  
"I fear the Chosen One is coming to our world. He has his Prophets, and some help. Some mutants from his world are with him."  
  
"Beautiful." Bladus grumbled. "What kind of powers do they possess?"  
  
"I do not know yet." Scarpena replied. I will find out when they arrive."  
  
"Do it." Tyrannis ordered.  
  
"As you wish, my Lord." Scarpena bowed, and walked out of the room. The Dragon Tyrant turned to the mercenaries.  
  
"Since I am in a good mood right now, I will give you fools another chance. I want the Chosen One and his Prophets dead. I want their heads presented to me. Get out, and I do not wish to see any of you clowns again until you have their heads!"  
  
"As you wish, my Lord." Bladus and Fadora bowed. They quickly left the throne room, Krodor and Praktor behind them.  
  
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"WHOAAAAAA!!!!" Everyone but Logan, Storm, and the dragons yelled. They were falling down a blue-and-black swirly "tunnel".  
  
"This is insane, yo!" Toad yelled.  
  
"Ja, zis is really crazy!" Kurt agreed.  
  
"I think I'm gonna hurl." Lance moaned.  
  
"Whatever you do Lance, don't puke!" Foxfire warned.  
  
"What's going on here?!?!" Rogue screamed.  
  
"We are traversing dimensions." Rancor explained calmly.  
  
"I do zat when I teleport." Kurt said. "I jump into anozer dimension vhen I teleport."  
  
"Incredible." Tralos remarked.  
  
"How much longer is this fancy ride going to take?" Logan grumbled.  
  
"I should end in a couple seconds." Rancor said. He saw a light at the end of the "tunnel". "Here we go."  
  
"I gotta hurl!" Lance moaned. The heroes fell into the light.  
  
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Bladus muttered as he, Fadora, Krodor, and Praktor walked down a corridor of the castle that Tyrannis stole from Rancor's family.  
  
"What's wrong?" Fadora put a consoling hand on Bladus's shoulder.  
  
"I can't believe that the Chosen One is alive." Bladus grumbled.  
  
"What about the mutants?" Krodor moaned. "If this Chosen One has brought them, we could be in big trouble."  
  
"We should attempt to capture them alive. We can study the X-Gene's properties, and hopefully use them to make us stronger."  
  
"How, Beakface?" Krodor grumbled. "Transfer their powers to us?"  
  
"It is possible." Praktor scratched his chin. "That gem. You know, the one with a different color on each face."  
  
"The Jewel of Power." Bladus said. "That thing is believed to mystically enhance the powers of those who are exposed to its glow."  
  
"That thing is unpredictable!" Fadora snapped. "It can give anyone any power and/or any kind of transformation! No way of predicting what kind of power it allows a person. Legends say one dragon got exposed to it and gained the strength of 50 dragons. Another dragon got exposed and got transformed into an ooze creature."  
  
"You saying you found a way to over come that problem?" Krodor raised his blue eyebrows.  
  
"No, but if Scarpena would let me examine it, I might find a way." Praktor replied.  
  
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"WHOAA!!!" The mutants landed, their bodies piled up.  
  
"Where are we?" Logan grumbled.  
  
"The Dragon Kingdom." Rancor replied simply.  
  
"Looks more like a post-apocalyptic wasteland to me." Fox quipped. He was definitely correct in his observation. The mutants and dragons landed in what appeared to be a junkyard. They were surrounded by piles of dirt, twisted metal, and destroyed machinery.  
  
"Goddess. This is it?" Storm looked at the buildings around them. They were ruined, tops blasted off, windows broken, covered in rust, and generally conveying a mood of deep depression and tragedy.  
  
"It wasn't always like this." Tralos sighed. "These buildings used to be proud, shiny and beautiful. This is Dracopolis, the main city of the Dragon Kingdom. This city used to be a bright light, but thanks to Tyrannis, it's now a dim broken bulb."  
  
"It pains me to see this city like this." Windrazor sadly sighed.  
  
"We must get to the castle. Tyrannis himself is there." Rancor pointed to a huge black castle. Based on its sight, it appeared to be at the very center of the city. It towered over the ruined skyscrapers, its very presence indicating immense evil and terror.  
  
"No problem." Lance smirked.  
  
"I guess I won't get that feast anytime soon, huh?" Blob looked over at Gwen.  
  
"I guess not, Frederick. Forgive us." Blob smiled.  
  
"S'Alright. And call me Freddy." The large mutant sighed.  
  
"Goddess, this place is completely ruined." Storm sighed. She heard rumblings from a pile of junk behind her. Wolverine jumped in front of her, claws unsheathed.  
  
"Come out of there, now!" Logan snapped at the pile. Two humanoid figures leapt out, ready for battle.  
  
"You challenge us?" One of them said. The speaker looked like a wolfman. His brown fur and long white hair was unruly. He wore a silver chestplate, silver armbands, brown tattered boots, and a tattered brown loincloth and cape. A scabbard was hidden underneath the cape. His belt had a ring on it, which was used to attach a laser crossbow. He had a jagged sword drawn. The other character was just as strange-looking. He looked like a Ninja Turtle on steroids. His pink hair was in a big flattop. He had a red bandanna around his head, and he had a birdlike beak. His shell was covered in spikes, and each hand had three fingers and a thumb. He wore a brown loincloth, fabric strips wrapped around his forearms and calves, and he had a laser crossbow drawn at them. He had a patch of metal on his neck, with ten green lights on them.  
  
"What're those things?" Kitty wailed.  
  
"It's alright, Wolverine." Rancor pulled Logan back gently. "Tolkar. Rahnzor. Good to see you again."  
  
"Prince Rancor!" The wolfman's yellow eyes bulged, quickly sheathing his sword. "Forgive me. We were merely defending our home."  
  
"The furball is Tolkar." Tralos introduced in a disgusted manner. "The overgrown tortoise is Rahnzor. They live in this junkyard as scavengers." (A/N: Guess which movie I'm paying a tribute to with these two. It's one of my favorites.) The old dragon sighed. "They are friends of Windrazor and Rancor's."  
  
"Indeed." Windrazor slithered over to the tortoise creature, and shook his hand. "How have you been?"  
  
"Fine. We have been surviving." Rahnzor replied in a mechanical-sounding voice. Rogue noticed that the lights on the metal patch on his neck pulsated as he talked.  
  
"Is that an artificial voice box?" Rogue pointed at it.  
  
"Yes." Rahnzor replied, shaking his head sadly. "I was attacked by some of Tyrannis's infernal metal soldiers. They slashed my throat, destroying my vocal chords. I survived, but lost my natural voice. I am doomed to sound like those infernal soldiers for the rest of my days." A small tear left one of his green eyes. "I used to sing. I was a terrific singer."  
  
"I'm, like, real sorry." Kitty put a hand on his shoulder. The tortoise-man looked at Shadowcat.  
  
"It was not your fault. Who are these strange creatures?" Rancor put a hand on Jake's shoulder.  
  
"Tolkar, Rahnzor, I want to introduce you to the one who will save us all. Jake Wildfire is our destined hero. We have brought his three Prophets with him as well." Rancor laughed. "Rogue, Todd, Jason, introduce yourselves."  
  
"Mah name's Marie, but everyone calls me Rogue." Rogue said.  
  
"Jason Fox, World's Sexiest Man." Jason took off his shades. "Man, is everyone in this Kingdom as ugly as you guys? OW!" Kitty smacked him upside the head.  
  
"Like, be nice!" Kitty glared.  
  
"Todd Tolensky, but everyone calls me Toad." Toad sighed.  
  
"Toad is the Sage. Jason..." Windrazor started.  
  
"Call me Fox." Jason said.  
  
"Fox is the Warrior, and Rogue is the Lover." Windrazor explained. "These people are humans. However, there is a new form of humans coming about, called mutants. These humans happen to be mutants."  
  
"Mutants, huh?" Rahnzor looked them over. "They do not look like mutants to me, except this one." The tortoise-man pointed to Kurt. "He resembles those blue elves that live in the Devil Forest."  
  
"Kurt Wagner." Kurt introduced himself. "I'm known as Nightcrawler."  
  
"Kitty Pryde." Kitty waved nervously. "I'm called Shadowcat because I can pass through things. If I pass through machinery, it shorts out."  
  
"If Tyrannis's metal soldiers could fear, they would fear her." Rahnzor quipped.  
  
"Metal soldiers?" Storm asked. "You mean, knights?"  
  
"No, robots." Tralos told the weather goddess. "Tyrannis uses robotic soldiers to tighten his iron grip."  
  
"The good news is, they are not very smart. Bad news is: they are incredibly tough." Gwen sighed. "They travel in groups, rarely alone. That makes them even more dangerous."  
  
"Sounds like fun." Logan smirked. "The name's Logan, but everyone calls me Wolverine." The feral mutant unsheathed his claws. "I don't play games, bub." Windrazor smirked.  
  
"I think I will enjoy fighting alongside you, Wolverine." The legless yellow dragon said.  
  
"Wolverine possesses strong senses, an incredible healing factor, and unbreakable metal claws." Rancor told Rahnzor and Tolkar.  
  
"My name is Ororo Munroe, but I am also known as Storm."  
  
"Ms. Munroe can, like, control the weather." Kitty explained.  
  
"A weather witch." Rahnzor said. "I didn't think they existed." Ororo looked slightly offended. "Sorry."  
  
"Lance Alvers." Lance smirked. "Everyone calls me Avalanche."  
  
"Lance possesses power over the earth." Tolkar put his hand on Avalanche's head.  
  
"What're you --?" Lance wondered.  
  
"I am reading your power." Tolkar said.  
  
"He has that strange ability to predict what kind of abilities a creature has. You see, his species has the power to read DNA." Rahnzor explained.  
  
"Interesting." Tolkar said. "Your powers are not fully grown. Eventually, you will be able to bend the very ground we stand on to your will."  
  
"Cool!" Toad remarked.  
  
"What does Nightcrawler do, besides being blue and furry?" Tralos quipped.  
  
"Kurt can teleport, and stick to walls." Rogue told the dark red dragon.  
  
"Quite a rag-tag bunch if I say so myself." Gwen laughed. "Then again, we were all mismatched. A prince, two knights, and a healer."  
  
"Yeah. I'm the best-looking of the bunch, though." Fox quipped. "I mean, I got a really great costume! Chicks dig the costume." Foxfire pointed to his outfit. It was an orange bodysuit with a black chest. An orange "X" crossed the chest, with a red HBK-style broken heart in the center. A white stripe went down each leg, and he had white kneepads, white boots, white gloves, and orange "X" shields on his shoulders.  
  
"I'm sure they do, yo." Toad rolled his eyes. "I'm sure they do."  
  
"The day a woman finds Foxfire attractive is the day I lose my invulnerability." Blob quipped.  
  
"Invulnerable, huh?" Tralos said. "Looks like the Gods are indeed smiling on us."  
  
"Yes." Gwen said. "The Gods are indeed."  
  
"Come." Tolkar waved with his hand. "We have a safe area hidden here." The mutants followed the six Dragon Kingdom natives. Rahnzor pulled a lever, and a fake pile of junk opened up, revealing a staircase. The mutants followed the six freedom fighters down the stairs, except for Storm. She looked at the tunnel, and shivered slightly. Fox noticed this.  
  
"Oh God, her claustrophobia!" Foxfire grumbled. "Lousy fear of closed spaces." Storm glared at the Detroit mutant.  
  
"He didn't mean it." Jake sighed. Rancor looked at her and nodded at Tralos, smiling. The old dark red dragon walked to her.  
  
"I am sorry, but I cannot go in there." Storm sighed. "I do not like tunnels."  
  
"That is no problem." Tralos put a hand on her cheek. Storm's eyes glowed and she fell asleep. The old dragon carried her over her shoulder.  
  
"What'd you do to her?" Blob pointed at the seemingly unconscious Ororo.  
  
"She's alright." Gwen waved. "Father just put her to sleep so we can traverse the tunnel."  
  
"Yeah." Fox grinned. "No loud screaming and thunderbolts. Hallelujah!"  
  
"Fox, do us a favor." Logan glared at the orange-haired Prophet. "Shut up."  
  
"Now that we can rejoice!" Toad grinned, laughing.  
  
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"Whaddaya mean I cannot examine your crystal?!?!" Praktor snapped at Scarpena. The two creatures were in the room of the Dragon Sorceress. She had candles all over the place, and numerous old bookshelves full of spell books. The only other furnishings...well, the only visible furnishings were a crystal ball, a bubbling cauldron, and a podium, used to place a book on. Scarpena glared at the parrot-man.  
  
"I do not have the crystal!" She growled. "I had sent a party to retrieve the crystal from the Mountains of Pygor. Those lousy mechanical soldiers were able to retrieve the crystal, but they were attacked by Rancor and his party. The Prince is beginning to fancy himself a dragon version of Robin Hood. Rancor stole the crystal."  
  
"If he has it, how come he hasn't been affected by its blasted glow?"  
  
"Sunlight does not create the crystal's infamous aura, fool." Scarpena grumbled. "Your stupidity never ceases to amaze me. It requires an incantation." The Dragon Sorceress smirked at Praktor. "I do have it in one of my books."  
  
"I can hardly believe that I need the aid of magic." Praktor sighed. "I am a scientist. There is a logical explanation for everything. Even the crystal. If I find it, I can examine it and discover a logical explanation for its power. I might even find a way to predict what kind of power it will give."  
  
"You are a fool, Praktor." Scarpena walked to a shelf and grasped a book. "Magic has no 'logical explanation'. It can do things the machines and science you worship find impossible. The crystal is not meant to be harnessed in that manner. The blessings and curses it creates are for a reason, only known by the Gods."  
  
"Aw, for the love of Altos!" Praktor cried out, flicking his arm/wing in frustration. "You are nuts! You dragons never cease to amaze me! You live in a combination of science and magic!"  
  
"Magic exists for a reason, just like you or I exist." Scarpena simply replied, reading through the book. "Find the crystal and bring it to me."  
  
"Do not order me around until you get some sense." Praktor growled.  
  
"You want power? Get the crystal." Scarpena growled. "Unless you want to be pounded repeatedly by the Chosen One and his friends."  
  
"Fine." Praktor grumbled, walking out of the chamber. He passed by Krodor when he went to the hall. The blue ape-man was leaning against the chamber wall next to the door, smirking with arms crossed.  
  
"You just won't admit you're wrong, Beakface." Krodor grinned.  
  
"Shut up, you savage." Praktor grumbled. "The Jewel of Power is not magical. It has a logical explanation for its abilities."  
  
"How do you explain the fact it has a different color on each face?" Krodor raised a blue eyebrow.  
  
"Don't make me laugh." Praktor scoffed. "Impurities in a crystal's molecular structure cause it to have certain colors. The crystal must have grown under strange circumstances to have impurities like that."  
  
"It's magic. It needs an incantation to work."  
  
"It's coincidence. The crystal emits a pulse of mutagenic radiation at certain intervals. It's pure coincidence that matches the incantation chant times with the pulses. I've just explained not just the incantation, but why the crystal empowers people different ways."  
  
"Good theory, but you got some holes." Krodor started counting on his fingers. "One, I've seen the crystal. Each face is a perfect color, no colors leaking into other faces. Y'know, no red face with specks of blue on it, for example. And, it emits radiation. What's the source? What kind of radiation is it? And how does the crystal create this radiation?" Praktor thought it over, but he couldn't come up with an answer, only shrugging. Krodor smirked. "See? Some things can't be explained logically." Praktor grumbled.  
  
"Just because something has no explanation now, it does not mean that it is magic!" Praktor groaned. "It just can't be explained currently."  
  
"Fine, be that way. You never could admit you're wrong. We'd better get out of here. If Tyrannis finds us, he'll gut us alive." Krodor sighed. Praktor followed the ape-man.  
  
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"Hmmm..." Tyrannis mused, staring at his throne room, its ornate statues and beautiful decorations. "The amulet...I must have the amulet...Where could it have gone..."  
  
"My lord..." A nasal and gravelling voice said. Tyrannis looked in front of him, and saw a black dragon with green hair, tied back in a ponytail. He was clad in silver armor, and he bowed toward Tyrannis. However, this dragon was similar to Windrazor in two aspects: He had no legs, and his face and body were sleeker than other dragons. One could assume that Windrazor and this dragon were from the same region.  
  
"Ahhh. Shadowracer." The dragon tyrant smirked. "I trust you know about the amulet and the Chosen One business."  
  
"Indeed I do, your lordship. I must ask you, why was I not included in the attack in the human world?" Shadowracer rose.  
  
"I made the mistake of believing the four mercenaries could destroy four simple human children." Tyrannis grumbled. He looked up at the one he named Royal Guard Captain. "Shadowracer, I trust you've found out that the Chosen One is here. Not just here, but he has brought some allies from his world."  
  
"Indeed." Shadowracer nodded. "I have begun amassing forces to attack them."  
  
"Actually, I was hoping you'd recover the amulet."  
  
"Recover it, my lord? I would gladly do so, but I have no idea where the artifact is."  
  
"In the human world." Scarpena walked up to the dragon tyrant and his Royal Guard Captain. "It makes perfect sense. Rancor would not expect us to keep the amulet there." Tyrannis mulled over the statement.  
  
"Indeed." He agreed. "But where?"  
  
"Somewhere associated with the Chosen One. Maybe with a friend or a place." Scarpena suggested.  
  
"The town that he lives in. What is it called? Bayville?" Shadowracer said. "I suggest it might be there, my lord."  
  
"Indeed." Tyrannis said. "Fine. Shadowracer, amass all the forces you need. Go to this 'Bayville' and find the amulet half!"  
  
"My lord, they might have defenses." Scarpena cut in. "They might require assistance."  
  
"Agreed." Tyrannis turned to the sorceress. "Go to the human world with Shadowracer, and retrieve the amulet piece! If you encounter any resistance, destroy it." Scarpena looked shocked at the order, but she obeyed.  
  
"Yes, my lord." Scarpena and Shadowracer bowed. They then left the throne room.  
  
"Soon, Rancor...Soon, Chosen One...The three of us shall meet, and two will fall. Humanity will get its revenge for turning on the dragons, and their world will fall to us, its rightful rulers." Tyrannis smirked as his twisted mind came up with ideas about what he'd do with the humans.  
  
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"So, you guys are almost the only ones here?" Wolverine asked Rancor. The team of mutants and dragons were traveling in an underground tunnel. An unconscious Ororo was carried over Tralos's shoulder. The old dragon seemed to not mind carrying her, and she had a peaceful look on her face. Kurt couldn't help but notice it.  
  
"Uh, Tralos?" Kurt asked.  
  
"Yes, Kurt?"  
  
"If Storm wakes up here..." Kurt started to warn the old dragon.  
  
"She will only wake when I determine." Tralos said. "As soon as we get back above ground, I shall wake Storm from her slumber." At the same time, Rancor and Wolverine were talking.  
  
"Most of the dragons evacuated the city when Tyrannis put the forcefield up." Rancor grumbled.  
  
"Forcefield?" Rogue asked.  
  
"Yes, a forcefield." Windrazor confirmed. "Created by a combination of an emitter in Tyrannis's castle and reinforced by Scarpena's evil magic."  
  
"Magic and science, side-by-side." Kurt shook his head. "I see it, but I still can't believe it." The group continued on silently, until Kitty spoke up.  
  
"Why are we underground? Can't you dragons, like, fly? You do have wings."  
  
"We can, but Tyrannis has ways of shooting down aerial targets." Tralos said. "Trust me, they're not very pretty."  
  
"Storm can, like, provide fog as cover."  
  
"Will you knock off the yappin'?" Foxfire grumbled. "If any of your big mouths wake up Storm, and we're not out of this tunnel, we're roasted."  
  
"She will only wake once I say. Not before." Tralos sighed.  
  
"Are all humans this loudmouthed?" Rahnzor pointed at Fox.  
  
"No, just the Warrior." Rancor smirked.  
  
"Hey, without me, you can't beat Tyrannis. Watch what you say." Fox smirked.  
  
"Ah hope Foxy don't go on an ego trip." Rogue grumbled.  
  
"I think it might be a little late." Gwen sighed. The team stopped at what resembled a manhole.  
  
"We're here." Tolkar said. He stood ahead of Rancor, and lifted the cover. The wolf-man pulled himself up through the hole, as if he was checking to see if it was safe. The others waited for a minute.  
  
"What's the hairball doing?" Logan asked.  
  
"Making sure everything's safe." Rancor answered.  
  
"All clear." Tolkar called out. The manhole cover was in the middle of what looked like the remnants of a medieval-themed hotel lobby. The wolf-man helped pull up the others, except for one problem. Thankfully, Fred was the last one to try. "He's stuck!"  
  
"Told you. You need to lose weight, fat boy." Foxfire smirked. Fred glared at the orange-haired Detroit native.  
  
"You are so lucky you are needed as part of a legend."  
  
"Like, what's this?" Kitty held up a jewel. It looked like two pyramids glued together at their bases, about the size of a small football. Each face was a different color: Red, blue, yellow, green, orange, purple, pink, and white.  
  
"The Jewel of Power." Windrazor laughed. "Rancor and I stole it from Tyrannis a while back.  
  
What'll happen to the X-Men back in Bayville? Can they successfully defend the amulet half from Scarpena and Shadowracer's forces of android soldiers? How does the Jewel of Power fit into all this? Find out in Genesis of a Dragon, part 12! Suggestions for next chapter welcome. 


	12. Chapter 12

Genesis of a Dragon: pt. 12  
  
Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to the memory of Elizabeth Hulette, who appeared in the WWE as Miss Elizabeth from 1985 to 1992, as well as to the memory of the Hollywood Fashion Plate, "Classy" Freddie Blassie, the greatest heel in wrestling history. WWE fans will miss them dearly. I also want to wish a belated Happy Mother's Day. Sorry I took so long. This story has been burning me out. Heat hurts my brain.  
  
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Dear Journal,  
  
Well, we're here! We have arrived in the Dragon Kingdom at last. It looks more like a scene from "Mad Max" than a city. Knowing Tyrannis, he'll send out someone to try and get us. Not to mention the amulet. I'm real worried about this whole thing. I hope nothing goes wrong.  
  
- Jake "Dragon" Wildfire  
  
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"Like, Jewel of Power?" Kitty scratched her head.  
  
"The Jewel of Power is an old artifact created by the six Dragon Gods. It's a dangerous artifact. When a certain incantation is uttered, the Jewel glows, changing all that's nearby. The powers it provides are unknown and completely random."  
  
"Are you serious?" Kitty asked.  
  
"Yeah." Windrazor laughed. "There are some legends about the powers that the jewel grants. One legend goes that two dragons found the jewel and uttered the magic words. One gained the strength of 50 dragons, and the other got transformed into an ooze creature." Fox shrugged.  
  
"Why didn't you use it to make yourselves stronger? Give yourselves superpowers?" Foxfire said. "I would."  
  
"Too much of a gamble." Windrazor explained.  
  
"What are the magic words?" Lance asked.  
  
"I do not know. Tralos does." Windrazor said. "I wouldn't ask him anyway. The Jewel is dangerous, Avalanche. You could even lose your powers thanks to this thing." Lance quickly backed away.  
  
"Maybe not."  
  
"Good choice." Windrazor nodded. Jake walked out of a room. "Chosen One?"  
  
"Rancor's calling a meeting." Dragon said. "He needs everyone here."  
  
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Shadowracer and Scarpena walked down a hall of the castle.  
  
"I don't understand it." Scarpena sighed. "I just don't understand it. Tyrannis knows I'm not a warrior. Why does he want me to fight?"  
  
"All dragons are warriors." Shadowracer said. "The only thing different is level of experience."  
  
"Oh shut up." Scarpena growled. "Where are those fool mercenaries?"  
  
"Tyrannis sent them to capture the Chosen One, remember?" Shadowracer reminded. "Knowing them, chances are Rancor and the Chosen One will find them."  
  
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"Yeah right." Fox scoffed as he took the jewel from Kitty. "This thing is silly. It's just a dumb old gem! I don't see why those dragons don't want to use it."  
  
"Like, you heard them, Jason!" Kitty reminded. She was looking in a bookshelf in a room. It was Tralos's lab. "Where is that spell?"  
  
"Well then, why are you looking for the spell?" Jason scratched his head. "I don't need a power boost. I'm already super-good-looking!" He looked at himself in a mirror. "God, it should be illegal to be as gorgeous as me!" Kitty rolled her eyes.  
  
"Like, whatever." Kitty moaned. She opened up a book. "I found it!"  
  
"This is stupid." Fox said with some apprehension. "Remember what those dragons said."  
  
"Fox, we need power boosts to fight Tyrannis." Kitty exclaimed. "I can't phase through him to death! And dragons like fire!"  
  
"Tyrannis won't be able to see me." Fox grinned, turning invisible. "See?" He turned visible again.  
  
"Like, but you'll have no offensive ability!"  
  
"I am a trained wrestler. I also have studied some martial arts. Jake taught me to fight." Fox buffed his nails. Rogue and Todd walked in.  
  
"Rancor needs you, yo. He's got a plan." Todd pointed to the hall.  
  
"Hang on. Dipstick over here wants to see if this Jewel of Power business is all nonsense." Fox pointed at Kitty.  
  
"Shut it, Fox!" Kitty snapped.  
  
"You're only saying that because you want me." Fox smirked.  
  
"I'm gonna find out what the Dragon Prince wants." Kitty put down the book and ran to meet Rancor.  
  
"Can Ah see the Jewel?" Rogue started to take the Jewel. Fox took exception.  
  
"I'm not finished with it!" Fox exclaimed.  
  
"You hog! Let me see!" Rogue snapped. The two mutants tugged at the jewel back and forth, like a demented game of tug-of-war. Toad noticed the book Kitty left and looked in it.  
  
"Hey, a spell book! An honest-to-God spell book." Toad noticed a spell. "Hmm. Where once stood tiny and weak, create a warrior whose strength shall peak. When the time falls on darkest of night, create a new strength from the Jewel's light!" The Jewel of Power started glowing.  
  
"What?" Fox and Rogue dropped the Jewel. The Jewel sent out three beams of light, hitting Jason, Marie, and Todd. The three glowed, then fell to the floor. Rancor walked into the room, and looked around.  
  
"BY THE GODS!!!"  
  
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A large portal opened up in the beach just before the sleeping town of Bayville. Scarpena and Shadowracer stepped out. Following them was a mass of robotic soldiers, around 30 and growing. They looked like the Cylons from Battlestar Galactica.  
  
"This is Bayville?" Shadowracer shrugged. "A little village full of weak humans. The Chosen One defiantly found his destiny here. After all, he is as weak as they are." Scarpena nodded in agreement, but she looked back at the portal in concern. "What?"  
  
"Nothing." She said quickly.  
  
"Hurry up and make a spell." The black legless dragon grumbled. Scarpena concentrated.  
  
"This town so innocent and meek, full of humans that are weak. From the sky so high to the sea so deep, put this town of Bayville to sleep!" Scarpena's body glowed bright blue, then the aura fired over the town, causing all the humans in town to fall into a deep sleep. It also put a blue dome over the town that indicated were the sleeping humans were. "The humans will not be able to fight us in their incapacitated state."  
  
"Why do we need these soldiers, then?" Shadowracer pointed at the metallic troops.  
  
"If my calculations are correct, the mutants will either not be affected, or live outside the dome. We will need the soldiers to vanquish the mutants." Scarpena replied.  
  
"Search the town! Find the mutants and destroy them!" Shadowracer ordered. The metallic soldiers immediately spread out over town.  
  
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"Professor, what's that weird dome?" Scott asked Xavier. The others looked out the window.  
  
"Now that's strange." The professor noted. The other mutants murmured amongst themselves about the forcefield. Jean did a mental scan.  
  
"Professor! All the people in town are asleep!" Jean exclaimed. "I'm also picking up two minds. Professor, they're dragons." Xavier mulled over the statement. He looked at the amulet half Rancor asked him to protect.  
  
"They are probably here for the amulet half. We have to find out."  
  
"Too bad Fox is in the Dragon Kingdom. He could use his invisibility to spy on them." Scott grumbled.  
  
"I think we'd better go to Bayville and find out." Xavier sighed.  
  
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In a ballroom of the hotel, modified to look like a meeting room, the team met to find a way to take out Tyrannis.  
  
"The plan is simple. All those who can fly will take to the skies." Rancor started.  
  
"But you said Tyrannis has ways of shooting down aerial targets." Ororo pointed out.  
  
"That's where you come in, madam." Windrazor continued. "You can use your powers over the weather to put the castle in chaos."  
  
"What about the rest of you?" Jake asked.  
  
"Windrazor, Gwen, Tralos, Storm, and myself will distract Tyrannis's forces from the air. The rest of you will get your way into the castle in two groups." Rahnzor glared at the three Prophets.  
  
"They might have lost their powers thanks to the Jewel."  
  
"Thanks a lot, Foxfire!" Rogue snapped.  
  
"Me?!?!" Fox snapped back. "You're always blaming me for everything! Toad's the one who read the stupid spell!"  
  
"It's a risk we'll have to take." Rancor sighed. Toad started shaking his head when he saw Fox and Rogue argue. "Is something wrong Sage?" In Todd's eyes, he suddenly saw an image. A vision. Rogue punching out Foxfire and him flying. "Todd?"  
  
"I...I...I saw Rogue punch out Foxfire." Todd said. "It was like a dream or something." Jake looked at the arguing prophets.  
  
"No, they're just yelling right now." Jake remarked. Suddenly, Rogue punched Foxfire in the face. The Detroit mutant was sent flying across the ballroom, a good 50 feet!  
  
"OWWWWWWW!!!! YOU SOUTHERN JEZEBEL!!!!! MY JAW!!!!!" Foxfire screamed in pain.  
  
"Huh?" Rogue looked at her fist. "Ah didn't know Ah had the strength."  
  
"How did she?" Gwen looked at Rogue and Todd.  
  
"You wanna play? Let's play!" Foxfire's hands started glowing. Instead of streams of flames, he fired red-and-orange beams of heat at her.  
  
"Yipe!" Rogue dodged. The others ducked. Fox looked at his hands in shock.  
  
"Holy cow!" Fox's brown eyes widened underneath his shades. "Sweet mother of Shawn Michaels! Where'd I get the heat beams?"  
  
"Where'd Ah get the strength?" Rogue wondered.  
  
"I saw Rogue punch out Fox before it happened." Todd realized. Windrazor thought it over.  
  
"The Jewel!" Windrazor realized.  
  
"It must've enhanced their powers!" Logan realized.  
  
"It seems the Sage has gained some degree of clairvoyance." Tralos smirked.  
  
"What?" Toad asked.  
  
"You have gained the ability to see into the future. To see future events before they happen."  
  
"Appropriate for the Sage. The Sage was said to be able to see events before they occurred. The Lover acted like a barrier, carrying great strength. The Warrior had the temper of Pygor, so he had fire at his command." Rancor remembered the prophecies.  
  
"So Fox provides extra firepower, Rogue's a shield, and Todd predicts attacks." Jake reasoned.  
  
"I guess it was good Fox and I were messing with the Jewel of Power." Kitty grinned.  
  
"Hoo boy." Lance rolled his eyes.  
  
"Todd can see into ze future. I can't prank him anymore." Kurt grumbled. Toad smirked.  
  
"Finally I get a cool power, yo."  
  
"Do you have any idea what powers we gained?" Rogue asked the dragons.  
  
"No idea. The Jewel is random." Rahnzor replied.  
  
"Can we get back to the plan?" Tralos groaned. The others quieted down. "Go ahead, Rancor."  
  
"Thank you." Rancor pointed to a 3-D model of the castle. "Storm, you and I will distract the castle's defenses from the air, alongside Gwen, Windrazor, and Tralos. Logan, you try to invade the castle from the front. You'll have Lance, Katherine, Fred, and Tolkar with you." Logan nodded with a smirk.  
  
"What about Jake?" Storm asked.  
  
"No problem. Jake and the Prophets will try to hit the castle from the back. Rahnzor and Kurt will be with them."  
  
"Before we go..." Windrazor sped to his room and returned with a red-and- yellow object. "I wish for you to wear this, Chosen One." Windrazor handed the object to Jake. It was a red triangular chestplate, with yellow trim and shoulder pads. The chestplate also had a golden cape decorated with a red dragon silhouette on it.  
  
"A chestplate?" Jake asked in confusion.  
  
"It belonged to Axton. It was the only piece of his armor that was left after Tyrannis killed him. It's made of a very hard metal known as draconian steel. It's nearly indestructible. The shoulder pads and cape are also lined with the metal."  
  
"Unfortunately Tyrannis's soldiers are also made of that metal, making them nearly invincible." Rancor sighed.  
  
"We had to get our swords lined with the metal as well to cut through them." Tralos looked at Logan. "I don't know how adamantium will fare against draconian steel." Wolverine smirked.  
  
"Adamantium is indestructible. Draconian steel isn't. 'Nuff said."  
  
"What about fire breath?" Kurt asked. "Can't you dragons breathe fire? You could melt ze robots."  
  
"Draconian steel has an extremely high melting point. Too high for the fire breath of one dragons. It takes the combined fire breath of six average adult dragons to melt one of those things." Gwen responded.  
  
"What about the four mercenaries?" Kitty asked. "Like, we haven't heard from them."  
  
"Indeed." Windrazor nodded. "They're probably looking for the Chosen One right now."  
  
"If they're out there, I can deal with them." Rahnzor replied.  
  
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The X-Men and Pietro were in costume. They had split up to check the sleeping town. Their active X-Genes made them immune to the effects of Scarpena's spell. One group was led by Scott. It consisted of himself, Tabitha, Jean, Sam, and Spyke.  
  
"Man, what are we looking for?" Evan groaned.  
  
"Anything weird." Tabitha quipped.  
  
"Does that count?" Sam pointed at what appeared to be around twelve metallic soldiers.  
  
"What are those things?" Scott wondered. Jean did a mental scan.  
  
"Nothing! I can't sense anything from them."  
  
"Robots." Spyke concluded. "I think they might be robots."  
  
"They look like cheap rejects from some sci-fi flick." Tabitha snorted. The soldiers turned their heads and saw the mutants.  
  
"Halt. In the name of Tyrannis." The soldiers started to advance.  
  
"Nice going, Tabby." Scott groaned, firing his optic beams. The beams barely scratched the robots. Tabby pitched a couple time bombs. The blasts barely hurt the robots. Evan fired several spikes that harmlessly bounced off the robots.  
  
"What're these things made of?!" Jean wondered. Sam fired like a rocket, slamming into the robots. All he succeeded in doing was knocking them off their feet, not damaging them at all. Cannonball was knocked back towards the others.  
  
"OWWWW!!!!" Sam rubbed his head. The robots quickly got back to their feet, and fired laser beams from their hands.  
  
"Scott! Scott!" Scott's walkie-talkie crackled with the voice of Iceman. "These things are practically unstoppable! What do we do?" Scarpena and Shadowracer hovered in the air above the town, watching the mutants try to battle the metal soldiers.  
  
"Fools." Shadowracer smirked. "All fools. They never bothered to try to learn about their opponents before they attacked."  
  
"With the Chosen One, the Prophets, and Rancor and his forces occupied, we can defeat these meager defenses and obtain the amulet." Scarpena said matter-of-factly.  
  
"We should find the amulet. But first, let's have some fun with these mutants." Shadowracer laughed evilly. Scarpena and Shadowracer dove into town.  
  
Aw man! Looks like the X-Men are in big trouble! Can they find a way to beat Tyrannis's forces? Can Rancor and his forces sack the castle in one stroke? What about the four mercenaries? Will Tyrannis get his claws on the Amulet of the Gods? Find out in the next chapter of Genesis of a Dragon!!!! 


	13. Chapter 13

Genesis of a Dragon: pt. 13  
  
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Dear Journal,  
  
Here we go! Rancor and the others are going to mount a big attack on Tyrannis's castle. We only got one shot at this. Rancor told me that once we reach Tyrannis, it'll be up to me, Rogue, Toad, and Foxfire to defeat him. I hope the others are alright back home. Anyway, I do have some worries. I'm worried the amulet will be safe. I'm worried someone will be hurt, or even killed. Rogue, Todd, and Jason have gained some new powers. Rogue now has strength that can rival Freddy's. Todd can see into the future, but he only seems to be able to see a few minutes ahead at most. Foxfire doesn't have flaming hands anymore. Instead, he creates heat lasers now. I don't know if he can still become invisible. Anyway, Windrazor gave me a chestplate that belonged to his brother. It's made of a near indestructible metal. He wants me to wear it when I fight Tyrannis. He said he'd love to see the look on his face when he's slayed by one who wore armor that belonged to someone he murdered. I know I can do this. I'm not gonna let these dragons down, not for anything.  
  
- Jake "Dragon" Wildfire  
  
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Storm stood tall on top of one of the ruined buildings of Dracopolis. She raised her hands as her eyes turned solid white and started glowing. A fog started forming along the castle of Tyrannis, as well as high winds and lighting crashing down upon it.  
  
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"Your Highness, a strange weather pattern is forming. It appears to be surrounding the castle." A robotic soldier told the black-scaled Dragon Warlord. Tyrannis mulled over the statement.  
  
"No, it can't be natural. No natural force is that exact. Someone has the weather under their command." Tyrannis waved his hand, and an image of Storm appeared. "Ahhh...A weather witch. That would explain it. She must be a mutant." He turned to the soldier. "Have the castle's defenses eliminate her." The soldier bowed.  
  
"As you command, my Lord." The soldier walked away.  
  
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Storm watched, unmoving. She saw some of Tyrannis's metal soldiers fly out of the castle on scooter-like flying machines. They fired lasers at her, but their aim wasn't that good. There was also laser blasts coming from hidden turrets within the castle itself.  
  
"Now!" She ordered. A yellow blur sped by, slashing down the scooters with a sword.  
  
"The castle shall be retaken!" Windrazor bellowed as he flew around the castle at superhuman speed. Rancor, Gwen, and Tralos appeared out of nowhere, engaging in aerial dogfights with the flying soldiers, and assaulting the castle with their fire breath.  
  
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"Okay..." Tolkar checked a map Rancor had provided. "There's a hidden entrance on the front grounds." Tolkar, Kurt, Lance, Kitty, Logan and Fred were standing hidden in a building on the outer wall of the castle. They barely managed to sneak in because of all the metal guards. Luckily, Kurt used his teleportation to distract them and Kitty and Fred used their powers to easily deal with them.  
  
"Now what?" Lance asked.  
  
"We move." The tortoise-like creature replied.  
  
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Jake, Rogue, Todd, Jason, and Rahnzor snuck into a basement of the castle.  
  
"Man, this place gives me the creeps." Jason groaned. "This place is also not doing wonders for my perfect hair."  
  
"God, shut up!" Todd snapped. "You and Kitty had to mess around with that stupid gem, huh? Now thanks to you, I end up seeing things!"  
  
"The Sage is adjusting to his new powers." Rahnzor smirked.  
  
"And quit breathing on me, Turtle-Dope!" Fox snapped. "Your breath stinks and it's turning my hair green."  
  
"In your case, it'd be an improvement." Rogue smirked.  
  
"You were the one who messed with the Jewel!" Fox snapped. "You nearly busted my head wide open!"  
  
"Ah wonder what other powers Ah got." Rogue wondered out loud, ignoring Fox.  
  
"Don't ignore me, you Southern cow!!" Fox snapped. Rogue cracked her knuckles.  
  
"Ah wonder how much strength Ah gained..." Rogue growled, glaring at Fox..  
  
"Knock it off, you two." Jake held them apart. Rogue looked at Jake's chestplate.  
  
"You know, that chestplate looks good on you." Rogue shrugged. Jake sighed.  
  
"Let's just get this over with." Jake grumbled.  
  
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"RAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!!" Logan slashed left and right with his adamantium claws. Wolverine didn't have to worry about his claws' effectiveness after all, as adamantium was easily capable of slicing Draconian Steel. His group had encountered a snag when they managed to enter the castle: More of Tyrannis's metal guards appeared and attacked. Kitty phased herself and Lance through the robots, causing them to short circuit. Lance couldn't use his powers in the castle because it might cause the whole place to cave in. Kurt was having a ball, teleporting around, slashing at the robots with a sword he took from a fallen metal soldier.  
  
"Man, zis is fun! I love ze Dragon Kingdom!" Kurt laughed happily.  
  
"No kidding!" Blob smiled, smashing a couple robots together by the head. "This is so much fun."  
  
"Yahhhhh!!! Take that, metalhead!!!" Tolkar smirked, slicing off another robot's arm.  
  
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"Hoo boy..." Scott sighed. The X-Men were being practically destroyed in an attempt to stop the metallic soldiers.  
  
"Our powers are useless!" Jubilee cried out.  
  
"Man, I wish the others were here." Amara sighed.  
  
"This is not cool!" Evan threw a few spikes, only to bounce off the robotic soldiers harmlessly. Only Jean seemed to have any effect on the robots, but there were too many to take down.  
  
"Ahh, I see you mutants are helpless." A voice called out. The X-Men looked up to see Shadowracer hovering down towards them. "You are just as weak as the normal humans."  
  
"Who are you? What do you want?" Scott snapped at the black legless dragon. The black dragon bowed graciously.  
  
"I am Shadowracer, Royal Guard Captain under Tyrannis." The dragon introduced himself. The black legless dragon smirked.  
  
"I still can't believe dragons are real." Tabby sighed.  
  
"We dragons are as real as the ground you stand on." The black legless dragon smirked. "You X-Men seem unable to match my steel warriors in combat."  
  
"Speak for yourself." Pietro smirked.  
  
"Shut up, Pietro!" Evan snapped.  
  
"I do not blame you. They are made of a metal known as Draconian Steel. Draconian Steel is near-indestructible." Shadowracer looked at Scott. "Ah yes. You are the leader. I offer you a fair chance." Shadowracer pulled out his sword. "If you can beat me with the cold steel blade, I will withdraw my metal warriors."  
  
"But, but, but..." Scott stammered.  
  
"Ah, you carry no sword." Shadowracer smirked. He pulled out another sword, and threw it at Scott's feet. "Being a gracious dragon, I am honor-bound to allow you a fair shot at me." Scott stared at the sword nervously.  
  
"Hoo Boy." He thought as he picked up the sword nervously.  
  
Man, Cyclops is in trouble! The X-Men are overmatched, and the others are fighting for their lives in the Dragon Kingdom! Can they do it? Can Scott beat Shadowracer in a swordfight? Can the others reach Tyrannis? Find out in the next chapter! 


	14. Chapter 14

Genesis of a Dragon pt. 14  
  
Disclaimer: "OH MAH GAWD KING!!! WHAT A SLOBBERKNOCKER!!!"   
  
Author's Note: Due to my college classwork, chapters might not come very quickly. Especially with this story. This story has given me major mental blocks over time.  
  
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Dear Journal,  
  
Me, Jason, Todd, Rogue, and Rahnzor had snuck into Tyrannis's castle via a basement. Lance, Kitty, Kurt, Fred, Logan, and Tolkar are barging in the front door, guns a-blazin'. Meanwhile, Storm and the dragons are distracting Tyrannis's forces outside. Man, this strategy is pretty sound. But what I'm concerned about is the other guys back in our world. I wonder what Tyrannis is up to. That dragon may be nuts, but he's far from stupid. And whatever it is, I hope we can stop it. I'm also worried about Jason, Rogue, and Todd's new powers. Todd's seeing flashes of the future, Jason's packing heat beams, and Rogue seems to have incredible strength. Looks like that jewel was kind to them, but despite all this, I'm still afraid that it's not enough to defeat Tyrannis. I just hope it is.  
  
- Jake "Dragon" Wildfire  
  
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Scott nervously picked up the sword Shadowracer threw in front of him.   
  
"I am sure you know the rules of this duel." Shadowracer smiled fakely. "If not, I shall explain. No powers allowed."  
  
"Great." Scott sighed. Ignoring the mutant, Shadowracer turned to the X-Men.  
  
"None of you shall interfere in this duel. You may give encouragement, but I doubt it will help. Finally, in this duel, there is only one way to win."   
  
"What's that?" Scott asked. Shadowracer smirked.  
  
"Decapitation of your opponent." Shadowracer replied, in a regular tone. "The only sure way to kill a dragon. You could try impaling me in the chest, but you'll risk my Dragon Barrier possibly reducing the chances of my death."   
  
"Brilliant." Scott closed his eyes, closing his eyes and panting. He wasn't tired, just scared out of his mind. How was he supposed to win a swordfight?  
  
"Scott!! Think of the 3 Musketeers!!" Evan called.  
  
"Onward, Parthos." Scott moaned sarcastically.  
  
"Raaaagh!!!" Shadowracer charged, sword up. He planned to take Scott down with a downward slash.   
  
"Eep!" Scott squeaked as he blocked the blow. The swords met with a huge CLANG!!! Shadowracer smirked.  
  
"I think this will be fun." The black legless dragon mused.  
  
"I want my mommy." Scott whined in his head.  
  
"He's dead." Pietro waved nonchalantly. "Nice knowin' ya, Summers."  
  
"Shut up, Quicksilver." Jean groaned.  
  
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"This way." Kitty waved. She and Lance rounded a corner in Tyrannis's castle. They slowly went down a hall, constantly keeping track of what was around them.  
  
"Man, this castle is kinda creepy. Hard to think it was Rancor's." Lance noted.  
  
"Yeah." Kitty agreed. She noticed a doorway. "Hey, what's in there?"   
  
"I don't care." Lance groaned. "We have to find the throne room."  
  
"C'mon, one second's not going to hurt us." Kitty phased her head through the door, to see if it was safe. She pulled her head back and turned to Lance. "It's clear."  
  
"I dunno about this, Kitty Yipe!!" Lance started to say, but Kitty pulled him through the door with her. They ended up in Scarpena's chamber. "Whoa, this is one freaky place." Avalanche looked around.  
  
"Maybe there's something here that'll tell us about the Amulet of the Gods." Kitty hoped.  
  
"Man, this place is creepy." Lance thought to himself as he examined Scarpena's crystal ball. Kitty was looking at Scarpena's spellbooks, when she noticed something behind the books.   
  
"Hello………" Kitty removed some of the books. "Lance, look at this!" Lance ran over to the bookcase. The object appeared to be a rock. It was about the size of a melon, white with some speckles of gray and purple on it. "Maybe it's some kind of magic rock."   
  
"I don't think we should be messing with this stuff." Lance replied. "Man, this place is creepy. Kitty, what are you doing?" Lance snapped as Kitty took the rock.  
  
"We might need this. Tralos would know what to do with it." Kitty cradled the rock.  
  
"Put that back, Kitty!! If Scarpena finds out her rock is missing, she'll be majorly miffed!" Lance ordered in a loud whisper.   
  
"She won't notice. She must've hid it for safe-keeping." Kitty reasoned as she put the books back on the shelf.  
  
"Man, what if that thing gets damaged?" Lance asked as he followed Kitty out.  
  
"It won't with me." Kitty replied.  
  
"Aw, for the love of………" Lance groaned. He was interrupted by a loud KA-BOOM!!! "What was that?" Kitty looked out a window.   
  
"Explosions. The dragons are fighting their way inside." Kitty said.  
  
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"Yikes!!" Scott narrowly dodged another sword slash from Shadowracer.  
  
"Moron. Why'd he accept that stupid challenge?" Pietro groaned.  
  
"Maybe because he's had no real choice in the matter?" Evan groaned.   
  
"Yipe!! Yeow!! Hey!!!" Scott kept barely dodging sword swipes from Shadowracer.  
  
"Ha! You call yourself a swordsman?" Shadowracer mocked. "You coward!!"   
  
"Can we talk about this? Yeow!! Hey, I nearly got scalped!!" Scott panted. The dodging was tiring him out. He manage to get a couple stabs in, but Shadowracer was an expert and experienced swordsman. The legless black dragon was easily able to handle what little offense Scott could put out.   
  
"Man, Foxfire and Avalanche would have a field day if they saw this." Rahne snickered.  
  
"Thank God Fox and Alvers aren't seeing this. They'd love this!" Scott thought as he nearly avoided losing an arm. "Man, he's gonna come after my neck next!"  
  
"Give it up, you pitiful human." Shadowracer scowled. Scott was sorely tempted to open his visor and pump the lizard offshoot full of optic rays. But Shadowracer was stabbing at Scott so fast, Cyclops ended up too busy dodging and throwing weak blocks and thrusts to open his visor. Then, with a huge clang, Shadowracer knocked Scott's sword out of his hand.   
  
"Uh-oh!" Scott gulped as the tip of Shadowracer's sword touched the front of his neck. The black dragon smirked.  
  
"Valiant attempt for an unskilled human." The black dragon smirked. He raised his sword, ready to slice Cyclops's head off.  
  
"SCOTT!!!" Jean screamed. A blast of purple flame hit Shadowracer. It wasn't meant to hurt him. It was meant to get his attention.  
  
"ENOUGH!!!" Scarpena roared at Shadowracer as she landed nearby. "We got what we came for." She smirked, holding up one half of the Amulet of the Gods. It was the half that was given to Xavier by Rancor. The X-Men looked in shock.  
  
"Oh my stars and garters! We left the Professor alone!!" Beast realized.  
  
"Relax, you overgrown gorilla." Scarpena growled at Hank McCoy. "Your precious 'Professor' is alive. Although he won't be up and around for a while. It would've been a waste of resources to kill him." She sneered. The purple dragon's voice indicated that she personally did not want to let the Professor live, but she was just after the amulet half.  
  
"Give that back!" Jean yelled. She tried to use her TK to yank the amulet half out of Scarpena's hand. The purple dragon sorceress sneered.  
  
"Fool." She knocked Jean back with a magical blast. "You have no idea of the power I possess."  
  
"Let's find out!!" Bobby Drake fired an ice blast, but Scarpena had a surprise. She chanted a couple odd words. The blast stopped, turned from blue to green, and grew in size. She sent the blast back at the X-Men and Pietro, causing their bodies to be covered and to be "welded" to the ground by an odd green ice.   
  
"Let's get out of this pathetic place." Scarpena groaned. "I grow tired of here."  
  
"I'd have more fun if we allowed the normal humans to be awake. More opponents to fight, and more heads to cut off." Shadowracer snickered.   
  
Uh-oh!!! Looks like Tyrannis might get the amulet after all!! What'll happen next? Will the Dragon Warlord get the sacred artifact? Can the gang in the Dragon Kingdom stop them? Find out in the next chapter!! Suggestions welcome!! 


	15. Chapter 15

Genesis of a Dragon pt. 15  
  
Disclaimer: "To be the man, WHOO!!! You gotta beat the man!" Ric Flair.  
  
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Dear Journal,  
  
Scott and Shadowracer engaged in a swordfight. It was like putting one of the wrestling ring crew in a match against Triple H. Anyway, he got whooped thoroughly (I can't wait to hear the jokes Foxfire and Avalanche will crack if they find out about this). Meanwhile, Scarpena got her claws on the Professor's half of the Amulet of the Gods! Uh oh! And the rest of us are occupied with fighting our way to Tyrannis himself! That's just fantastic! But I wonder one thing, what happened to the mercenaries that Tyrannis hired to take me out? And how do we fight a god? Tyrannis claimed that when he gets the two halves of the Amulet of the Gods together, he will become a god. As well as the new powers that Todd, Rogue, and Foxfire gained from the jewel. Do they have more new surprises up their sleeves? I hope they do, because we'll need every new power they got!  
  
- Jake "Dragon" Wildfire   
  
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"Let's get out of here!" Scarpena growled. She and Shadowracer were about to leave Bayville when they saw a purple vortex materialize in the street the X-Men and the cybernetic soldiers were battling. An odd machine emerged. It was a strange purple hovering platform with an open-air throne on it. On that throne sat the dictator of the Dragon Kingdom, the evil Tyrannis. On his sides were the four mercenaries he had hired: Bladus, Fadora, Krodor, and Praktor. The X-Men saw the platform hover towards them, and they got worried. Scarpena got an idea. With an evil smile, she freed the X-Men from their icy lamination, but trapped them in a magical field, rendering their powers useless. While they recovered, they got to see Tyrannis himself.   
  
"Great. The ringleader himself." Evan groaned.   
  
"What do we do?" Jubilee wondered.  
  
"How can we fight that monster?" Sam groaned. Scott took the sword that was knocked out of his hand.   
  
"We fight." Scott said simply. Tyrannis looked at the mutants, and he rose form his throne.   
  
"Your time has ended, humans. The dragons have risen to reclaim their rightful place as rulers of the earth."   
  
"Not on my time." Scott growled. Tyrannis fingered the half of the amulet around his neck. "And unlike your time, mine will never end."   
  
"Yeah right." Scott responded.   
  
"My lord, we have the amulet half." Scarpena walked on the platform. "The one called Xavier attempted to fight me, but his mind tricks were no match for my magic."  
  
"What did you do to the professor?" Jean yelled.  
  
"Let's just say he will not be able to train you for a while." The purple dragon smirked.  
  
"Let's take 'em out!" Krodor unsheathed his sword.  
  
"No, you fool! We don't know what kind of powers they've got!" Bladus snapped.   
  
"I still want to rid this place of them." Praktor grumbled. "They can interfere with their plans." The parrot-man pointed to Tyrannis, Scarpena, and Shadowracer.  
  
"Compared to Tyrannis, their power is nothing." Fadora snickered.  
  
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The three groups finally united near the throne room. They all charged into the throne room, but found it was empty.  
  
"WHAT?!" Rancor roared. He upturned a decoration in rage. "He knew we were coming! That coward! That infernal coward!"   
  
"I though you said he'd be here!" Fox yelled.  
  
"He must've fled! But to where?" Jake put his hand on his chin in thought. He then came to a realization. "Bayville! He went to Bayville!"  
  
"He's after the amulet half!" Storm realized.  
  
"And he led us on a wild goose chase." Logan snarled.  
  
"We have to get back to Bayville! Now!" Lance added. Tralos nodded and prepared a portal spell to get them back to Bayville.  
  
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"Put down that amulet half!" Beast ordered from the forcefield. Tyrannis held the two amulet halves.   
  
"You are in no position to order me around." Tyrannis sneered. "Now, you will bow to your new master!" Tyrannis edged the two amulet halves closer and closer together. Golden electricity started to crackle between the two halves. With a crash that sounded like a lightning strike, a blue portal opened up right behind Tyrannis. The black dragon turned around in shock. "What--?"  
  
"DROP THAT AMULET!!!" Rancor roared, leaping through the portal. The light blue-scaled Prince of Dragons tackled Tyrannis to the ground, causing the Dragon Warlord to drop the amulet halves.  
  
"Get him!" Bladus ordered. The four mercenaries charged toward the struggling dragons, but Rancor had help. Jake flew out of the portal at high speed into a powerful spear that took down Bladus. The green dragon let out a big OOF!!!! Foxfire and Logan were next. Fox blasted Praktor with his heat beams, while Logan lashed out at Krodor with his claws. The other X-men and the rest of the Dragon Kingdom natives poured out of the portal, attacking the soldiers.   
  
"So this is the human world." Tolkar noticed.   
  
"No big deal. Looks like any other village." Rahnzor looked around. "Except the buildings are bigger."  
  
"Rrrr………" Scarpena scrambled to get the amulet halves, until she saw Kitty. Kitty was running through the soldiers, while cradling the rock she found earlier. The purple dragon's eyes glowed red with rage.  
  
"PUT THAT DOWN THIS SECOND, YOU FILTHY HUMAN!!" Scarpena leapt in front of Kitty, making her squeal with fright. Magic energy built up in Scarpena's clawed hands, and she was about to blast the brown-haired mutant. "Your phasing powers won't protect you from this AHHHH!!!" She started to fall into a fissure that opened up beneath her. Lance had created it.   
  
"Kitty, get out of there!" Lance ordered. Kitty ran towards him. Meanwhile the X-Men that weren't trapped in the green ice were trying to free their teammates.   
  
"Uhhnh…Oh no!" Todd shook his head as he got a vision. Rahne and Jubilee. A soldier with a sword. A sneak attack. Toad turned his head, and he saw a sword-carrying robot sneak up and a newly-freed Jubilee and Wolfsbane. "I don't think so!" Todd leapt up and slammed the robot with a dropkick, taking the metal soldier down.   
  
"How'd you know it was there?" Jubilee asked Todd. The Toad smirked.  
  
"Hey what can I say, yo? I am the Sage." Todd shrugged like it was no big deal. Meanwhile, Rancor and Tyrannis grappled. The black dragon eyed the amulet halves, lying on the platform nearby.  
  
"Don't even think about it!" Rancor snarled.  
  
"Who are you to order me around, you whelp?" Tyrannis growled. "You have been a festering thorn in my side since I took my throne."  
  
"A throne you stole by killing my parents." Rancor growled in rage. "I vowed to avenge them, and I will. You will never get the power you seek, Tyrannis. I swear to the six Dragon Gods."  
  
"HA!!" With a sudden burst of strength, Tyrannis shoved away the Prince of Dragons. "Your vows mean nothing to nobody!" Tyrannis reached for the amulet halves, but a yellow boot nailed him in the face! The Dragon Warlord tumbled to his side. Standing over the amulet halves was a sneering Dragon. He stepped on the halves gently. One could notice that the red-haired wrestler also carried a sword. Jake Wildfire pointed the sword between Tyrannis's eyes.   
  
"You want this amulet, then you have to go through me." He replied. Tyrannis smirked at the teen wrestler.  
  
"You do realize that you are playing a game that you cannot win." The Dragon Warlord smirked as he got up and unsheathed his sword.   
  
"I come from a family of fighters, Tyrannis." Jake semi-bluffed. "A Wildfire never backs down."  
  
Now there's a close shave for you? Will Tyrannis get by Jake and get the amulet half? Can the X-Men, Brotherhood, and the dragons defeat the Dragon Warlord and his forces? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions welcome! 


	16. Chapter 16

Genesis of a Dragon pt. 16  
  
Disclaimer: "I am the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be!" Bret Hart  
  
Red Witch: Thanks for the encouragement! I could use some.  
  
To Jc: Glad you like this fic! Believe it or not, this was the very first X- Men: Evo fic I ever did. I started on it a long time ago, and never got to finish it until now. I hope you like this chapter.  
  
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"You pathetic child." Tyrannis smirked, unsheathing his sword. "You believe that a whelp like you can defeat me? I have handled that sword since before you were born. Dragons live very long lives, Jake Wildfire. I have had years of experience with the sword. This is probably your very first time wielding the blade." Jake glared at Tyrannis, despite the fact that he knew that the Dragon Warlord was right about Dragon's experience. Jake looked around with his eyes quickly. The others were too busy dealing with the mercenaries, Scarpena, and the metal soldiers.  
  
"In legends, they say the red dragon was the strongest of all dragons." Jake replied. "Appropriate for me since I have red hair."  
  
"A Red Dragon you are not!" Tyrannis raised his sword, ready to slash Jake's face. With a clang, Jake blocked the blow with his own sword.  
  
"A Red Dragon I am!" Jake roared back, smacking Tyrannis's sword away from him, then knocking the Dragon Tyrant back with a hard right cross. "I'm from a family of fighters, Tyrannis! Battle is in my blood! Now I will show you that you never mess with a third-generation wrestler!" Jake speared Tyrannis off the platform, then brought the tyrant to his feet and smacked his head against the platform side. Tyrannis recovered quickly, taking Dragon down hard with a spinning back kick, adding on a slash across Jake's cheek from his tail as he went around. The recovering Dragon quickly put his fingers on his cheek and checked for blood.  
  
"Not quite a great a warrior as you claim to be." Tyrannis smirked. Jake widened his eyes, then lunged forward, pulling the black dragon's legs from under him. "Gahh!" Tyrannis roared as his back hit the ground. Jake held up his legs, and put him in a Figure Four leglock. Tyrannis screamed in pain.  
  
"Rancor! Grab the amulet halves!" Jake roared.  
  
"Right!" Rancor lunged for the halves, but Scarpena kicked him away, only for her to end up ambushed by Gwen. Tyrannis blasted some flames from his mouth, forcing Dragon to release the hold as he moved to get out of the way.  
  
"Yipe!" Jake jumped to his feet, Tyrannis not far behind.  
  
"You have an odd fighting style." The Dragon Warlord noticed. He never heard of a Figure Four leglock.  
  
"My family has used that style for five decades." Jake smirked. He was proud of his heritage in wrestling. "My family has become well known for it." Jake then spat a fireball in the Warlord's face. "I just cooked that one up." He jumped into the air, using his flight power to get some height, then nailed the Warlord with a kick.  
  
"Rrgh!! GAAHH!!" Rancor had ambushed Tyrannis, hitting him between the shoulders with a two fisted blow. Tyrannis smacked him with a backhand blow. While he was distracted, Jake attempted to grab him in a sleeper hold. He managed to get the hold, but for a minute, as the Warlord threw him over his shoulders very hard.  
  
"Ahh!!" Jake retched his spine in pain. With a laugh , Tyrannis confidently walked back to the platform, and was was about to pick up the amulet halves, when a pair of red-and-orange heat beams appeared out of nowhere, and blasted the Dragon Warlord in his armored chest, knocking back the screaming tyrant. Foxfire made himself visible with a laugh.  
  
"You can't beat the Fabulous Foxfire!" He laughed arrogantly. "I'm so gorgeous, and so great. I easily got to you, lizard breath." A growling Tyrannis clutched his chest.  
  
"You think a light show can stop me!" He roared. "I managed to take down the strongest dragon in the Kingdom, King Artrus, father of Rancor! He was a valiant warrior, but he was old, and weak." An enraged Rancor leapt to his feet and blasted Tyrannis with his fire breath.  
  
"My father was not weak!" Rancor snarled. "You need your metal army to weaken and tire him before you could finally gather the courage to face him. You knew that if you faced him when he was ready, he would've taken your head!" Foxfire readied another heat blast, but Tyrannis was ready. With incredible speed, he leapt onto the platform and slashed Foxfire across the chest, leaving three bloody gashes.  
  
"Ahhh!!!" Foxfire fell back, but he did manage to recover and whack the Dragon Tyrant with a hard right hook, then a kick to the face. Rancor and Jake jumped on the platform.  
  
"Give it up, Tyrannis! You can't beat all three of us!" Rancor snarled. Tyrannis quickly grabbed his sword, spread his wings and took off into the air at high speed. "No!" Rancor and Jake grabbed their swords and took to the air after him. "Jake, we must take him down now! If he gets that amulet half, we're doomed!"  
  
"Foxfire will guard those amulet halves with his life!" Jake assured. True to his hope, Fox had taken the amulet halves and put one half around his neck and the other he gripped tightly in his hand.  
  
"Good luck, you guys." Fox smirked. His hand, the one that was not holding the amulet, glowed orange and red. Foxfire raised his fist, and fired a heat blast, attempting to shoot Tyrannis down.  
  
"Gahh!!" Tyrannis gripped his cheek as the heat beam grazed it. He looked down. "Rrrr...You will fry for this, human!"  
  
"Not today, buddy!" Jake smacked Tyrannis with a dive bomb punch. Rancor unsheathed his swords and slashed at Tyrannis. The Dragon Tyrant blocked with his own swords and spat a fireball. It went into a two-on-one aerial dogfight, with fire streams flying from the mouths of the two dragons and the Boston mutant. There was the clang of swords in the air as the flying blurs attempted to slash each other with swords at a high speed. Foxfire was like a land-to-air missile launcher, firing blasts of heat in the air, desperately trying to not hit his best friend and ally. The others had managed to deal with the metal soldiers, and they watched the fight, while trying to fend off the four mercenaries and the Dragon Sorceress.  
  
"Fox, don't let anyone near that amulet!" Logan snapped.  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Fox replied cockily. He didn't see Scarpena behind him.  
  
"Fox, look out!" Lance yelled.  
  
"Wha--?" Fox turned around and saw Scarpena with a dagger. "Hey!"  
  
"No!" Toad leapt up and kicked Scarpena. The purple dragon got winded, causing her to stab herself with it. It was not a fatal wound, but it did occupy her for a second. Fox angrily kicked her off the platform.  
  
"Take that, you overgrown gecko!" Fox and Toad snapped, but something happened. The sorceress blasted them with a magical attack, knocking them over. Scarpena grabbed the amulet halves from Foxfire.  
  
"Humans. So predictable." She smirked.  
  
"No!" Tralos leapt from the platform, staff ready to strike. Scarpena growled.  
  
"You old fool!" She roared. She threw some dust in Tralos's eyes, making the old red dragon scream in pain. He slowly stopped moving, until he froze in place. Scarpena took to the air, carrying the amulet halves.  
  
"Scarpena's got the amulet!" Gwen realized.  
  
"C'mon!" Rogue said. Gwen let Rogue on her back, and the two flew into the air in hot pursuit. Scarpena saw them coming, and she fired a stream of flames from her mouth. "Gwen!"  
  
"On it!" Gwen dodged and fired her flame breath back. Scarpena sped up, Gwen in hot pursuit. Jake, Rancor, and Tyrannis continued their aerial dogfight of flames, punches, kicks and swords.  
  
The fight's being kicked up a notch! Will Tyrannis get his claws on the amulet? Can our merry mutants and daring dragons stop the Dragon Warlord? Find out in the next exciting chapter! 


	17. Chapter 17

Genesis of a Dragon pt. 17  
  
Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to the memories of two legends in pro wrestling: Stu Hart and "Classy" Freddie Blassie. Stu Hart played a hand in training wrestling legends like Bret and Owen Hart, and Chris Benoit. The basement of his home became infamous as the Dungeon. "Classy" Freddie Blassie was one of the greatest heel wrestlers and mangers of all time. He coined a term that is still used today, and his quick wit had made him the man that wrestling fans loved to hate for several decades.  
  
Disclaimer: "You pencil-necked geek!" -"Classy" Freddie Blassie  
  
To Red Witch: Oh, man! You really need to cut back on the old cappuccino or frappuccino or whatever coffee you drink. Here's some more for you!  
  
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Dear Journal,  
  
We managed to make it back home, and just in time! Tyrannis was about to unite the two halves of the Amulet of the Gods, giving him near-infinite power! We engaged in a desperate battle. Rancor and I took to the air in hopes of taking him down from the skies. However, Foxfire was ambushed by Scarpena, and now the amulet halves are flying into his very claws! Gwen and Rogue are after the halves, but Scarpena is hot on their tail, and there's nothing I can do about it! Aw, man! As if things can't get any worse!  
  
-- Jake "Dragon" Wildfire  
  
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"C'mon...C'mon..." Gwen reached desperately for the amulet halves, Rogue on her back.  
  
"RAHHH!!!!" Scarpena roared. The Dragon Sorceress had slammed Gwen with her staff! The impact knocked the wind out of Gwen, and Rogue off her back.  
  
"Rogue!" Gwen huffed. She got laid out with a staff shot to the head.  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" Rogue screamed.  
  
"No!!" Jake tried to dive bomb after her, but Tyrannis slammed Jake from behind. Rogue screamed as she fell, until something strange happened. The southerner's body started glowing a bright green, until she stopped falling. In mid-air.  
  
"Whoa." Rogue breathed. {What's happening to me? Ah'm...Ah'm...floating.} "What's going on here!?!?!"  
  
"The Jewel! She gained the ability to fly somehow! Like a bird!" Rancor exclaimed.  
  
"So the wench can hover a few feet." Tyrannis snarled. "She's still a ARRRRGHHH!!!!" An angered Jake had slashed Tyrannis across the chest.  
  
"Call her that again, and I'll run you through!" Dragon threatened angrily, eyes glowing blue.  
  
"Just like the knights of yore. Defending the fair maiden's honor." Rancor noticed something. He shot a look and a small smirk to Jake. Dragon picked it up. "Protecting the fair damsel in distress, huh?" He felt a tug at his tail. Tyrannis turned and saw Rogue hovering behind him, holding his tail. She looked at him in a demeaning manner.  
  
"You think Ah'm a damsel in distress, huh?" Rogue said. She then gave a mocking smile. "Well, Ah am a damsel, but you're the one in distress!" She started twirling Tyrannis around in midair, spinning around and around.  
  
"Hey! WHOAOAOAOAOAOAOAOAOAOAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!" Tyrannis screamed as Rogue spun him around. She let him go, causing him to crash into the ground at high speed. "OWW!!!" He got up, wiping some blood off his lower lip. The Dragon Tyrant started to snarl as Rancor finally caught the amulet halves.  
  
"Not as mighty as you perceive yourself, aye Tyrannis?" Rancor smirked. Tyrannis, with an enraged roar, jumped back into the air, dodging heat beams from a recovered Foxfire. Tyrannis raged towards Rancor.  
  
"I shall not be denied of my destiny!" Tyrannis roared. Rancor handed the amulet halves to Jake, and the two dragons started a midair swordfight.  
  
"Jake, you and Rogue protect that amulet! Get it somewhere safe!" Rancor roared.  
  
"Right!" Jake flew back to the ground, Rogue not far behind. They flew back to the platform, where Foxfire stood.  
  
"Well? The others are fighting Tyrannis's army. What do we do now?" Fox asked. Jake stared at him intensly.  
  
"Protect the amulet." Jake said simply. Todd climbed on the platform.  
  
"What's up, yo?" He asked. Scarpena snuck up behind the four and threw some dust. "Does anyone feel tired?"  
  
"Yeah..." Jake suddenly found it difficult to stay awake.  
  
"Ah wanna sleep real bad." Rogue yawned.  
  
"Man, I wanna go to Dreamland with all my women." Fox yawned.  
  
"That's definitely a dream." Jake's eyelids felt like lead weights. Scarpena smirked evilly.  
  
"About time." The Dragon Sorceress smirked. She took the amulet halves from Jake and flew off. Windrazor and Gwen saw this.  
  
"No!" They cried out. The two dragons took to the air. Windrazor used his superior speed to catch up to Scarpena first.  
  
"Unhand those artifacts, you wench!" Windrazor roared, ready to slice Scarpena's head off. The purple dragon smirked. She used her staff to create a blinding flash of light to blind the two dragons. Rogue flew up to the purple dragon, only to fall to the same tactic. She flew towards the sword-fighting Rancor and Tyrannis. Rancor turned in shock.  
  
"You wench, drop that amulet now AAAAAAAGH!!!" Tyrannis blasted Rancor in the back with a jet of flame breath. The flame breath smashed the Prince of Dragons into the ground. The X-Men, in a reprieve from their fight, watched Scarpena fly up to Draconis with the amulet halves.  
  
"No!!" Jean tried to yank away the halves with her TK. Scarpena felt the tug, and her eyes flashed purple, as did Jean's. Jean rolled her eyes, and with a grunt, fell over.  
  
"Jean!" Scott managed to grab Jean. All the mutants with projectile powers fired at Scarpena, but she put up a mystical forcefield over herself and Draconis. The projectiles were reflected away. Scarpena waved her hand, and the field turned into an arc of energy with a TWIZZ sound. With a screech, the wave hit the mutants!  
  
"AAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!"  
  
"My destiny has come at last." Draconis smiled evilly as he took the halves. He put one around his neck, and put the other half together, forming the whole amulet. "AAAAAAAAGHHHH!!!!" The Dragon Tyrant screamed. His body was covered in a golden glow. "Yes..." He laughed as the weakened mutants and their allies got up. The Chosen One and the Prophets could barely stand, trying to fight off Scarpena's sleep spell. "I can feel the power flowing through my veins! I can feel the Gods giving their power to me! I can feel the entire universe! I am...becoming that power! Becoming one with the cosmos! Becoming more than mere flesh and blood...more than life itself...I, Tyrannis, am now and forever, A GOD!!!!" With those words, Draconis arched his head back and roared, his body's bright golden glow intensifying. When it stopped, Tyrannis's armor turned solid gold, with a silver fearsome-looking dragon on the chest, a silver cape, and a helmet with a curved blade on the top of it. His armor had curved blades on the shoulders, and retractable blades on the forearms. The X-Men and their allies looked on in shock.  
  
"No..." Rancor moaned as he looked up. "By the Gods, no..."  
  
"Rancor, you failed. Just like I predicted." Tyrannis floated down to the platform, smiling at all the heroes. "After I destroy these pathetic creatures, and the Chosen One. I will kill you, where you'll answer to your father for the rest of your days for your failures." The Dragon Warlord laughed as he walked to the sleepy Chosen One.  
  
"Come, Chosen One. Your destiny ends now. Scarpena, release him from the spell! I think as a fighter, he'd enjoy the challenge of facing a god."  
  
Oh no! Tyrannis has become a god! What'll the X-men, the Dragons, and their allies do now? Can he be stopped? Can Jake fulfill his destiny? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly! 


	18. Chapter 18

Genesis of a Dragon pt. 18  
  
Dedicated to the memory of Crash Holly and Road Warrior Hawk. We miss you.  
  
Disclaimer: "WHAT A RUSH!!" -Road Warriors  
  
To Red Witch: I'm sure Tyrannis has a weakness.  
  
To Wizard1: Knowing Tyrannis, he does have a lot of arrogance. And now being a god only makes things worse. As well as his ego larger.  
  
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Dear Journal,  
  
Oh man! Just when things cannot get any worse for us all, we fail miserably! We fought our hardest, but it wasn't enough. Tyrannis as the whole Amulet of the Gods, and now he's a practical god! I'm now very scared. According to the dragons' prophecies, I'm the one who's able to slay Tyrannis. What if it's too late? What if Draconis cannot be slayed? I think I'm in biiiiiiig trouble  
  
Jake "Dragon" Wildfire  
  
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"WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!" Tyrannis laughed in his new golden armor. Jake snarled as he picked up a sword.  
  
"Drop that amulet, Tyrannis!" Jake snapped. Tyrannis laughed.  
  
"Go take a practice flight, you pathetic whelp!" The black dragon summoned a wind, sending a screaming Jake flying across town. Storm took to the air, firing lighting bolts from her hands. Tyrannis laughed at the Weather Goddess.  
  
"Pathetic Weather Witch! You think you can hurt me?" Tyannis waved his hand, and the thunderbolts stopped in midair, turned around, and flew back to her! Storm barely dodged, calling on a tornado. It had the same effect.  
  
"Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, Light, and Darkness. The six elements, and they are at my power!" Tyrannis laughed. "Here's an element your weather powers can't even dream of controlling, witch!" Tyrannis fired a blast of flames from his mouth. An earthquake from Lance knocked Tyrannis off his platform. The dragon glared.  
  
"I shall see your little tremor, and raise you a fissure!" Tyrannis's eyes glowed, and Lance's earthquake created a fissure that moved like a snake. The fissure tried to swallow the mutants. A piece of earth flipped up like a mousetrap and slammed Lance in the back of the head, knocking him out.  
  
"Hey lizard breath!" Blob charged from behind. "Can't stop the Blob!" Tyrannis snarled.  
  
"I can." Tyrannis turned around and nailed the huge mutant with a powerful punch, causing the Blob's nose to bleed, and the huge teen to fly into the air, then fall to the ground from a hundred feet in the air. "That was a mere fraction of my power, you stupid obese bag of filth. I could've easily sent you into orbit."  
  
"Mein Gott! If he could do zat to the Blob, Lance and Storm, then how can he be stopped?" Kurt wondered.  
  
"I doubt even Magneto could stop Tyrannis." Beast said.  
  
"Hey moron!" Fox stepped up, turning invisible. He started moving around Tyrannis. The golden-armored black dragon snarled as he whipped his head around.  
  
"Where are you, you pathetic AHHHHH!!!!" Tyrannis put his arm in front of his face to avoid getting his eyes fried by a heat blast. "Where are you AAAGH!!!" Tyrannis kept getting blasted by heat beams left and right from different directions. Tyrannis swiped his other arm, and he got a random shot.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Foxfire fell to the ground, four huge bloody slashmarks on his chest.  
  
"Fox!" Rogue took to the air, and rammed the black dragon at high speed. "Let's see you take on someone who's invulnerable!"  
  
"Gladly!" Tyrannis raised his sword. With a yell, he slashed Rogue, but his sword broke upon contact with her. "What?" Rogue smirked.  
  
"Nice try, sugah. Ah think Ah figured out these new powers Ah got." Rogue nailed Tyrannis with an uppercut. The black dragon sailed back to his platform, and Logan and Cyclops engaged the tyrant alongside the other X- Men and Brotherhood. However, Tyrannis easily shrugged them off!  
  
"I think we need the Fantastic Four for this." Ray grumbled.  
  
"No one can stop me!" Tyrannis laughed.  
  
"RAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" A red-scaled dragon, clad in a familiar costume, raced out of the air, blasting flames from its mouth, its red-and- yellow hair billowing from a tornado that Tyrannis had summoned to deal with the X-Men and Brotherhood. The dragon tackled Tyrannis and speared him into the ground. Rogue clutched her head.  
  
"Who..." She looked at the dragon and recognized the red hair and blue eyes. "Sugah? Jake?"  
  
"WHAT?!" Tyrannis roared. Jake Wildfire sneered at Draconis.  
  
"Round two, Tyrannis." Jake snarled. "Round Two." The two dragons charged at each other.  
  
Hoo boy! Something tells me Tyrannis is dead meat! Can this new from of Jake Wildfire defeat Draconis? Find out in the next exciting chapter of "Genesis of a Dragon"!!! 


	19. Chapter 19

Genesis of a Dragon pt.19  
  
To Red Witch: Oh yes, Tyrannis is gonna get it!  
  
To Raliena: Alright! Here comes some more for ya!  
  
To Aaron: Round 2 indeed! This will be a slobberknocker!  
  
To Wizard1: Yeah, Jake's powers are kind of linked to his friends. As for the fight, you'll see. But for now, here comes the big one! And BTW, WHERE'S THAT %$&#@! SEQUEL!?!?!?!?!?!  
  
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"Hey Tyrannis!" Jake challenged, beckoning with his red-scaled, clawed fingers. "Come face a fellow dragon." Guinevere got up.  
  
"I hope you can save us, Chosen One." Gwen silently prayed.  
  
"Chosen One!" Rancor pitched Jake a sword, which the red-scaled dragon easily caught. Tyrannis smirked. The black dragon created a sword out of electricity and air.  
  
"I see you want to be impaled, Chosen One." Tyrannis laughed. "You cannot match me. Not even the fabled chosen one can defeat a god!" With a roar, Tyrannis lunged at Jake with his sword, but Dragon blocked with a sneer.  
  
"You are no god." Jake snarled. "You never were a god, you are not a god now, nor will you ever BE a god!" Jake kicked the gold-armored black dragon and slashed at him.  
  
"I see this will not be easy." Tyrannis snarled. He spat a stream of lightning, hitting Jake hard in the chest. Jake's sword fell out of his hand, landing blade up, wedged between a pair of rocks.  
  
"Jake!" Rogue screamed, running towards the battle, but Tralos put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Let me go!"  
  
"I'm sorry Rogue." Tralos said sadly. "I know you want to help the Chosen One, but only he can destroy Tyrannis."  
  
"But Ah'm one of the Prophets! There must be something Ah can do!" Rogue snapped.  
  
"If there was, I'd tell you." Tralos sighed. "Look Rogue, I know you care. I know you really do care. But the only thing you really can do for him now is pray. The Chosen needs your strength." Rogue looked down at the ground. Jake recovered from the blast. His chestplate was charred, but he was untouched. Dragon growled at Draconis.  
  
"Cute light show. I'm not impressed, Tyrannis." Jake smirked.  
  
"Insult my power, will you!" Tyrannis's golden-armored body glowed. "RAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Tyrannis created an elemental assault: Fissures and cracks formed in the earth under Dragon, Lightning and wind howled in the sky, and flames burst out of the ground. Jake quickly took to the air, trying to maintain his balance, despite the fact that lightning and thunder was crackling all around him, winds were trying to blow him every which way, and flames were erupting as if they were trying to grab the red dragon and roast him.  
  
"Hey!" Jake barely dodged a flame column. "Agh!" He got hit by a lightning bolt. "AIEEEE!!!!!" The red-scaled dragon got nailed by a flame column. Even though Jake's scales were naturally flame-retardant, he could still feel pain from the flames. Jake struggled to keep in the air, flapping his wings with all his might, but he was being blasted by flames and lightning.  
  
"RAAAAAAGH!!!!!!" Tyrannis took to the air, and nailed Jake, using his tail as a whip. The red-scaled dragon crashed down to the ground with a huge thud. Once there, lightning bolts created by Tyrannis started blasting Jake repeatedly.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!" Jake screamed. The Dragon Warlord laughed.  
  
"That's what you get for challenging a god." Tyrannis laughed. With a gesture, tendrils of earth erupted from the ground and held Jake down while the lightning continued to strike him. Jake's body was also being pulled down into the ground. The red-scaled dragon screamed in pain.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!"  
  
"JAKE!!!" Rogue broke from Tralos's grip and rushed Tyrannis, knocking him down with a punch to the jaw. The self-proclaimed god roared.  
  
"You dare strike me?!?! YOU WILL KNEEL BEFORE ME!!!" Draconis grabbed Rogue and started to choke her. "Your powers can't harm me, soulsucker. My strength is much greater than your own. After I kill your little lovebird over there..." Draconis smirked at the Southerner evilly. "I'll have some special plans for you." Unfortunately for him, Jake overheard.  
  
"LET HER GO NOW!!!!" Jake roared. Pushing with some newfound strength, Dragon tore through the dirt restraints holding him and pulling him into the earth. His body was still being struck by lightning, but he ignored the pain and burns on his body. He spread his wings and let loose a huge stream of fire breath that hit the Dragon Warlord hard, forcing him to drop Rogue. Jake nailed Tyrannis with a super-fast flying clothesline, causing the black dragon to hit the ground hard. "They say that in Chinese myth, the red dragon is the strongest of all dragons." Dragon snarled as he lifted up Tyrannis. The black dragon's red eyes opened with a smirk.  
  
"HA!" He fired a blizzard from his mouth, freezing Jake's face!  
  
"AAAGH!!!" Jake struggled and blasted his flaming breath to melt the ice. Tyrannis took the opportunity, blasting Jake with several powerful punches. The red-scaled dragon was knocked into a building, creating a hole in the side. A couple seconds later, a red-scaled blur raced out the hole, and slammed hard into Tyrannis.  
  
"Rrrrr, I'm going to huh?" The Dragon Warlord looked down and discovered the amulet was gone! "WHAT?!" Jake looked at him with an evil grin.  
  
"Looking for something, Lizard Queen?" Jake Wildfire held up the Amulet of the Gods.  
  
"NO! NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" Tyrannis screamed as his body glowed gold. The golden armor he wore disappeared, leaving him in his normal armor. "NO!! MY POWER!!" Jake sneered at the black dragon.  
  
"You aren't so tough now, are you Tyrannis?" Jake snickered. Tyrannis snarled.  
  
"Give me the amulet, human." The black dragon snarled. "Or I will tear you limb from limb."  
  
"You underestimated me, Tyrannis." Jake snarled. "Now I'll make sure this power can never be used again!" Jake crushed the amulet in his hand.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!" Tyrannis screamed. "YOU FOOL!!! DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!"  
  
"Yeah, stopped you." Jake said. "Give it up, Tyrannis. You've lost."  
  
"I will rip your filthy head from your body!" With a roar, Tyrannis charged Jake. The red-scaled dragon fell on his back and monkey-flipped the Dragon Warlord into the air. "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!" The black-scaled dragon was flipped into the air, yelling. He careened into the sword wedged between the rocks. The sword impaled his neck. "Gaaaahhhhh..." The Dragon Warlord choked and gargled on his blood, which Jake noticed was blue. "Curse you and your decendants, Red Dragon..." Tyrannis muttered his last words, then died.  
  
"I don't think so." Jake said, returning to his human form. He was bloodied and beaten, but he still felt the adrenaline rush.  
  
"Jake! You did it!" Rogue ran up to the Boston native and hugged him. "Ah knew you could." The dragons cheered.  
  
"Victory!" Tralos crowed.  
  
"The Chosen One did it!" Rancor laughed, hugging Gwen.  
  
"Tyrannis is dead! The Dragon Kingdom is free at last!" Windrazor hollered. The mutants cheered.  
  
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(A month later)  
  
The mutants were in Rancor's rebuilt throne room, all in their costumes. It was a ceremony to recognize Rancor's crowning, also attended by many other dragons of various sizes, shapes, and forms. Also there were various other creatures. Jake stood with the blue-scaled dragon at his throne, flanked by Rogue, who was holding his hand, and he was also flanked by Fox and Todd. Regal music played, and Tralos walked in, holding a crown on a red cushion. He was dressed in shiny red and gold ceremonial robes, flanked by Windrazor in purple formal armor, and Guinevere in similar armor. The mutants bowed at the crown as per dragon custom. Tralos marched up to Rancor and smiled. Rancor got down on one knee and bowed toward the crown once held by his late father.  
  
"I remember when you, Gwen, and Windrazor were hatchlings. The three of you would always go out and adventure, driving me and your parents crazy. I never imagined that the three of you would end up helping a prophesied hero defeat a great evil." The old red dragon chuckled. "And I never thought I'd crown you as king. So, by the power invested in me by the Gods as Royal Vizier, I hereby crown you, Rancor, King of the Dragon Kingdom!" Rancor rose to his feet, proudly. "All hail Rancor!"  
  
"All hail Rancor! King of the Dragons! Long live the King!" The dragons responded. They rose to their feet.  
  
"Way to go, Kingy!" Fox grinned. "Now where's the ladies? All the women here are either lizards or weird-looking."  
  
"The curse of being in the Dragon Kingdom." Toad chuckled.  
  
"I dunno. I fell kind of like I'm home here." Jake said, looking around. "Like those dragons are my people."  
  
"The dragon in ya, kid." Logan said.  
  
"Yeah, Jake." Rogue agreed. "It's definitely the dragon part of your DNA." She gave Jake a kiss on the cheek. "For the hero." Jake blushed. Todd sighed.  
  
"I envy you, yo." Todd sighed at Jake. "I really do. I'll never get a girl."  
  
"Oh, Ah dunno." Rogue pointed behind Todd. The toad-like mutant turned around and saw a beautiful girl covered in blue scales, with long black hair, and clad in a black bathing suit-like garment wink at him. Rancor called everyone to attention.  
  
"And now, the next part of the ceremony! Frederick, you'll really enjoy this." Rancor smirked. Fred's eyes lit up. "To the Great Hall! WE FEAST!!!"  
  
"FOOOOOOD!!!!" The guests yelled happily. They charged into the huge room.  
  
"Are you coming, Jake?" Fox asked. "Hurry! I'm hungry!" Jake stared at a picture of Rancor's father. He noticed the two dragons looked a lot alike.  
  
"Uh yeah." Jake replied. In the Great Hall, another event was taking place.  
  
"Hey, the stone!" Kitty noticed the large stone she was carrying was shaking.  
  
"Where'd you get it?" Windrazor noticed.  
  
"Like, I was exploring the castle and I found this rock in Scarpena's room. I thought she wouldn't mind if I took it." The phaser nodded. The rock started to crack and chip open. "Like, oh my God!" The rock cracked open, revealing a tiny purple-gray-scaled dragon, with big purple eyes. "What is it!"  
  
"It's an egg! It was a dragon egg!" Gwen realized.  
  
"Congrats, Kitty. You're a mother." Fox laughed. "Funny, that baby doesn't look like me at all OW!!" Lance slapped him upside the head.  
  
"It's a baby dragon!" Tralos said. "Katherine, you had an egg the entire time." The little dragon looked at Kitty with its big purple eyes."  
  
"Mama." The baby dragon said, looking at Kitty.  
  
"Aw great, our own dragon!" Logan groaned.  
  
"It's your child, so you must name it." Rancor snickered.  
  
"How about Lockheed?" Kitty wondered.  
  
"After the old Draconian word Lockheiodorus. It means "child of two worlds." Very appropriate." Tralos nodded with approval.  
  
"Uh..." Kitty blinked. "Actually, I thought of it because the X-Jet is made by Lockheed." The old re dragon facefaulted like an anime character, making everyone laugh. Jake watched on with a smile.  
  
"I don't think anything will ever be the same again." Jake smiled.  
  
Well, the world is safe, the Dragon Kingdom is free, and Kitty got a kid! What'll the future bring? Will there be new adventures? Hopefully so! This is L1701E saying thanks for reading! 


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